Midnight Screening
by auntytany
Summary: Santana, this latter day power-girl, wasn't expecting this. She thought love at first sight was something pussies created to justify their lame romances. Her soul-mate was obviously another talented girl from her own stature she just hadn't met yet and it definitely was not some random girl selling tickets at the movie.
1. Chapter 1

"Do you even realize how much I care about you to go to the movies that late a thursday night? I hope you do, Quinn." Santana spat, as they made their way to the movie theater.

"Aww... You won't regret it, I promise." Quinn said.

"What is it anyway?"

"It's a horror movie. You gonna get scared... Oooh..." Quinn imitated a ghost, taking sweet pleasure from the less than pleased expression on her friends face. If looks could kill...

"Lima Heights Adjacent, girl," Santana clarified, showing off some choice moves to show how badass she was. "Lima Heights _Adjacent_.

"...And it's in Polish," Quinn continued as though she'd never been interrupted.

"_What?_"

"But there's subtitles!"

"I hate you, Fabray."

"It's gonna be awesome! We're gonna be so scared, plus it's an awesome theater. Come on, we need a break." Quinn winked.

Santana stumbled as she walked and Quinn held her by the elbow, thrilled to be going to the movie she had longed to see for so long.

The fact was that Santana and Quinn were very busy women. Despite their young age, their ambitions had lead them to occupy significant jobs in their respective companies.

Quinn was working in a publishing firm. She had managed to find a job as a critic, her boss having been seduced by her efficiency and her perspicacity. Her dedication and intelligence had found an echo in the newspapers readers' hearts and she had became their sweetheart.

Santana however was a shark. She spent five to six days a week torturing financial apprentices as a manager in the human resources department of the financial company she was working with. Even if her pedagogy, based on mental torture and fear, was questionable, she was beyond a doubt about to become the most formidable manager in the history of efficiency, and was set to become the head of the department. Thus, once a week, the tradition was to meet each other for a movie, dinner at a restaurant or something - _anything _to escape their stressful routines and insane workloads.

Today, Quinn had a lot of fun hiding the nature of the movie from Santana. She had pleaded for her to come, even if the Latina was absolutely _not _excited at _all _about going to the movies, and especially not to an art house.

As they waited in line to get the tickets Santana couldn't stop sighing, breathing out about how much her revenge would cost Quinn for their next week's outing.

"This movie's gonna be so boring. _Boring_, do you hear me?" Santana grumbled.

"_Next!_" The girl selling tickets in her outside booth yelled. Quinn pushed Santana forward, rather decided to enjoy her night despite Santana's bad mood.

"Hi! Two for "Obscure Ghost", please," Quinn happily ordered. The girl, a perky blonde obviously enjoying her work, prepared two tickets with a smile.

"$40 please."

"20 fucking dollars to see a Polish movie that's not even dubbed? You gotta be kidding, Q!"

"But it's a masterpiece, it's worth it..." Quinn negotiated with a smile as Santana looked for money in her bag.

"Your friend is right, this movie is awesome." The perky blonde softly said.

"Have you seen the so-called _masterpiece_?" Santana answered sourly without even looking at the ticket girl. "20 fucking dollars..." She kept grumbling.

"It's perfect if you enjoy spooky things," the blonde said as Santana finally looked up to give her the money.

As soon as Santana's eyes brushed the blonde silky hair and the piercing happy blue eyes, she felt a heavy weight settle over her erratic beating heart. This girl had something, a sort of beauty that spoke right to Santana's deepest emotions. She thought the girl was pretty. To be honest, she thought she was insanely smoking hot, but there was no way her pride would allow her to admit that, not just yet. She took a shy breath.

"Don't get too scared," the blonde added with a smirk as she handed Santana her ticket.

"Not a chance." Santana cleared her throat and tried to keep her voice from trembling.

The blonde gave Quinn her ticket as well and they both left. Santana looked back at the ticket girl one last time before heading to the theater room, feeling that weight on her heart warm inexplicably.

"The girl..." Santana whispered as they entered the room and looked for seats. "What did you think of her?" Quinn stared at her, perplexed for a second.

"Nothing, why?"

"I don't know... I thought she was pretty."

"Yeah she was. Do you think she's gay?" Quinn made herself comfortable, taking her coat off and patting her seat down.

"Pfff..." Santana hesitated. "Who knows? My gaydar is broken for that one."

The first images of the movie enlightened the screen and the conversation died.

* * *

People around them kept screaming. There wasn't a single drop of blood in this movie, it was all about psychological pressure. The past hour and a half had been really hard to get through, but this scene was almost the grand finale. Quinn kept holding an empty bottle of water, squeezing each time the pressure got too high and the terrible music spiked. Santana held onto the seat armrest with a panicked expression. In the movie, the protagonist was about to be tortured by his butcher. Santana didn't think she'd ever go near meat again.

"I swear to God I wasn't prepared for this..." Santana almost sobbed, her fear consuming all her usual arrogance. The butcher cut the protagonist with a knife in a huge close-up shot on screen that made everybody latch onto their seats and scream or cry.

"Oh my god, oh my god..." She kept begging. Another shot buried the audience in the reality of the moment and the man beside them whimpered. Quinn bit her bottle to ease her stress.

"Okay, I'm off..." Santana shot up.

"Where are you going?" Quinn whispered frantically, her eyes locked on the screen so as not to miss anything.

"Outside, this movie is freaking nuts!" She whispered back, hurriedly grabbing her bag and coat.

"But it's almost over!" Another terrible scene flashed on screen and more screams filled the air.

Santana glanced at it and felt as though she was about to throw up. "I'm out!" She almost screeched. "I'll wait for you outside, but I'm fucking out!"

She exited the room trying not to disturb people, but well, everybody was so lost in the movie a bomb could have crashed the room and they wouldn't have cared. She made her way out, breathing heavily and trying to erase all the stress from the movie. When she pushed through the exit door the sudden presence of fresh air eased her into a less frantic state. However, at almost midnight and alone outside, there wasn't much to do. She looked around; there was nobody. The streets' pavements were slightly wet from a small drizzle and the wind was blowing a little. She readjusted her coat and zipped it up before hearing a loud sudden noise coming from the ticket booth.

"Shit!" someone swore.

Santana came closer. "Hello? Are you alright?" Getting no answer, she peeked inside the booth. It was the blonde from earlier and she rose to her feet in a hurry, making Santana take an automatic step back.

"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't see you were there!"

"It's alright! You okay? I heard you-"

"Yeah, yeah, awesome, it's just the machine printing tickets that's broken again." The blonde pouted in a childish manner that made Santana chuckle. "Machine, you .. you ...you_ whore_!" The blonde shouted. Realizing the girl was actually being serious Santana tried to stifle her mirth behind her hand.

"Is there anything I can do... to help...?"

"Nothing, I'm afraid... This freaking diva of a machine works only half of the time. I gotta convince my boss to get me a new one."

"Sounds wise..."

"Another machine, so I can throw this one into the garbage myself. _You hear me, bitch? You're going to take a little trip to garbage-land and I won't ever see you again!_" She threatened the device, kicking it with a grunt. Santana couldn't hold in her laugh this girl was actually even hotter when angry. Cheeks reddened by frustration, hair in slight disarray and eyes flashing dangerously. Santana felt a sudden heat building.

Hearing Santana's laugh, the blonde looked up. "I'm sorry Miss, I didn't mean to be rude or anything."

"That bitch deserved it." She winked and the blonde chuckled. The girl sighed and headed out of the booth, obviously wanting to take a break. She couldn't do anything without her device anyway, the thing was due a grand old funeral any day now. Santana watched her attentively, rather dreading the moment she'd see her- all of her. Indeed, it was worth the trip. She was magnificent.

The blonde stretched her legs a bit, tired from hours of sitting in her small booth, skinny jeans flattering her curves. Santana swallowed thickly.

"Fresh air!" The blonde exclaimed, suddenly sounding much more cheerful. She seemed unencumbered and free. From what Santana perceived, she seemed very lively in a strange, fascinating way. "You didn't like the movie?"

"Hm? Oh! No, not really." Santana said vaguely.

"It scared the shit out of you, didn't it?" The blonde threw her a wink.

Santana only had two options and she hesitated for a second: fake boredom or admit the movie was so good she couldn't cope anymore. In other words, try to keep her persona safe or risk to be seen as a coward. Ah … decisions decisions.

"You got scared at the torture part, right?" The girl insisted with a grin.

"Okay fine! But that scene is insane!" Santana's frantic exclamation made the blonde laugh.

"Don't worry, you're not the first to leave before it ends. Maybe it's just not your cup of tea, no biggie!"

"Yeah..." Santana admitted, "I usually watch comedies. I work horrendously so I'd rather watch entertaining things. It's my friend who forced me to come."

"I figured!" The ticket girl giggled. "What movie did you like lately?"

The blonde lead the conversation as they sat on the outside stairs of the theatre. Outside and on a work break at midnight, there wasn't much to do. She wanted to talk and Santana seemed pretty smart in her fancy clothes and flawless makeup. But Santana didn't like to talk. Her job consisted of yelling at people with absolutely no pity and she wasn't your best bet for a chat. The blonde figured that out very soon by the way Santana seemed uneasy, playing with her hands as they conversed. However, she decided to push the brunette, intrigued now more than ever. She made her recount her favorite movies and made her explain why she liked them before the screening was set to end, which was in twenty minutes or so.

Santana liked how chatty the blonde was, giving her advice on what movies she should watch, telling her own favorite movies and comparing their tastes. She liked how her blue eyes shone through the night, how she seemed to be comfortable anywhere, even on these cold stairs. The world seemed to be her oyster. Her smile seemed to never fade, even when she had been angry, even in the cold night, she looked like a ray of sunshine. The sort of sunshine Santana's life lacked. Santana couldn't stop gazing at her… She didn't want this moment to ever end.

"Okay, okay, what about... Bridesmaids or The Hangover?" The blonde asked through another laugh. The two actually got along quite well, even if they didn't know each other. Everything seemed to flow.

"Bridesmaids, come on!" Santana admitted with a thrilling laugh to match the ticket girl's.

"Why's that, I love them both!"

"Well it's obvious, the huge amount of boobs!" She blurted, not paying too much mind to what she was saying. She regretted her words almost immediately, fearing her gayness was showing too much. The blonde laughed even more.

"Totally!" She agreed to the solid argument.

People started to exit through the theater doors, the movie having just ended. In a hurry, the blonde stood up and went back in her booth, her shy professionalism kicking in. Santana didn't really have time to realize their conversation was over, just like that, so abruptly. She wanted it to last, she wanted to know more about the girl, laugh some more with her. She suddenly felt a hint of sadness tainting her heart.

Quinn re-appeared too and walked straight towards her, fanning her red cheeks with a hand and holding the now mangled water bottle.

"Hey!" Santana greeted, trying to soften her sudden discomfort at having lost the moment she'd been sharing with the ticket girl.

"Oh my god Santana! If you had seen the finale! Oh my god, it was awesome! The butcher started to..." Quinn began to explain the movie's end with wild gestures, determined to make her friend understand how incredible it had heard her rambling but she wasn't present. Her eyes and mind were locked on a certain blonde answering some people's questions from her booth, all smiles and all charm.

The rain started to fall softly. "We should go, it'll be pouring rain soon!" Quinn stopped in her narration for a second, taking her friend by the elbow and silently urging her to move, before starting her impromptu movie review again. Santana followed but when they passed by the booth she knocked on the window.

"Goodbye..." She just wanted a chance to hear her voice again.

"Bye!" The blonde answered in a hurry, absorbed by her work. Santana was a bit disappointed. She wanted something from the girl, something she could hold onto. She had nothing more and felt like a child being scolded.

"You talked to the girl?" Quinn inquired as they walked towards their cars.

"Yeah, she's nice."

"You talked about... _things_?" Quinn poked her, conniving and smirking, always hoping for her friend to get a date and put an end to her loveless life.

"I kind of know she likes boobs, maybe, whatever..."

"Ah! Good! So, she's gay?"

Santana sighed. "I wish... I don't know."

"But did she hit on you or something?"

"I don't know! She was all nice and smiling but..."

"Santana, you feel it when someone's hitting on you. Did she say things that could be interpreted that way or..."

"No. We only talked about movies. But she was so charming, sweet, we were laughing..."

"You got her phone number?" Quinn winked slyly.

"I didn't even get the chance to get her name, so her phone number..." Santana pouted, trailing off.

"I see only one thing you could do to clear the matter up."

"What?"

"We come back next week -same screening - you get out the room early and you get her name _and _number."

"Twice in a row? That'd be so awkward!"

"Maybe, but that's your only chance."

Santana thought about her friend's plan. It sounded so very weird and incredibly stalkerish. Just plain bad. But in actuality, what else could she do?

* * *

Tell me what you think ? Should I keep writing this story ? :)


	2. Chapter 2

It was Thursday and Santana had spent the whole week pondering on a certain blonde. She had kept dissecting every single detail of their conversation, every smile and every look. The blonde's features haunted her dreams and her days.

After few nights of torturing herself mentally, she had finally admitted she had a big crush on a stranger - a random girl who was a complete mystery. She first thought that all these things happening in her heart were illusions, wry reaction from her inner self to put an end to her loveless existence. Santana of course had enjoyed some romance in the past. Possessing such beauty, this powerful woman had a talent to make people crazy about her. However, even if hookups enlightened her routine for a few hours sometimes with women as luxurious as she was, she had never found someone crazy or suicidal enough to bear her personality everyday; especially when she came back home after a terrible day at work and her _horrific _mood destroyed everything around her. Santana was well aware that she might be a little too overwhelming sometimes and she always tried to do better, but in the meantime, she looked for women who were strong enough to yell back at her. But no one seemed to fit in this delicate seat. Lately, Santana had been feeling like she was doomed to be alone until the end of time. That's why any tiny opportunity was good enough to be enjoyed. Her soul-mate was probably hiding somewhere, anywhere.

Quinn kept telling her she should lower her standards. After all, Quinn knew her friend well. She knew Santana kept herself away from many love interests, justifying this with inane reasons such as : not rich enough, not pretty enough, not wise enough... She was sure, so deeply convinced ,that Santana kept herself from living as she was too scared someone might actually shatter her perfect, neat, well-organized and clocked life. Santana was holding onto lame pretexts, restricting herself in an emotionless life for already way too long.

Santana was on the phone with her, sighing. On her lap the art house program was fully open with its schedule for the days to come staring back at her.

"I swear, there's nothing to watch at this damn theatre. Not a single movie that I might actually like..." She groaned audibly.

"_It doesn't matter. You're going to see her, not the movie, remember!" _Quinn chirped, trying to motivate her into taking action for once.

"Yeah I know, but if I have to spend $20 it could at least be worth it."

"_Santana, you're trying to find yourself a reason not to go again. Pick one, go there, leave early, take her out for a drink." _

"It sounds simple when you say it," she said somewhat bitterly. The goal seemed impossible to reach in Santana's opinion.

"_Just go okay, give it a shot..." _

"But seriously Q, this plan is freaking nuts! First of all, she'd think I'm the biggest chicken ever. Then, that I must be some sort of psycho-"

"_When was the last time you actually liked someone?" _

"That Velma girl I believe, like 3 months ago? 4 maybe, I can't remember..."

"_Santana, I mean someone you _really _liked. Not someone that's good at going down on you to relieve the pressure. You know what I mean." _

"Yeah but she was _really _good, though... I should call her back, she liked me!"

"_Santana! God, you're so infuriating sometimes... When was the last time you actually dreamed about a girl? That you fancied diners in the candlelight? Walks in the rain..." _

"Oh shut it Fabray," Santana growled, suddenly very aware of the absolute emptiness she always felt in her heart. "People don't do that."

"_People in love do that," _Quinn pointed out plainly and softly.

"I'm not in love. How can you be in love with a girl you basically don't know anything about?"

"_It's called love at first sight, darling." _

"Pfff... Bullshit-"

"_Anyway! Pick like... I don't know... the third movie on the schedule, end of the story! For your own bitter heart's sake, you're going." _

Santana looked for the movie in question on the paper. The block letterings jumped out from the page - dangerous and foreboding. They promised a marvelous tale. A marvelous that would leave her… asleep.

"Our Winter of Love?" Santana roared in mirth. "No way! No fucking way!"

"_It's a sign! Fate has laid a hand! I wouldn't have picked the only romance comedy of the week if the game wasn't worth the candle!"_

* * *

"Next!" The girl selling the tickets yelled.

"Hello..." Santana shyly greeted.

" Hey! I remember you!" The blonde's eyes widened as she let out a surprised chuckle.

"You... You do?" Santana cleared her throat, mentally cursing herself for letting her awkwardness show.

"Yeah, the freaked-out girl!" The blonde peeked at the long queue behind Santana. They couldn't really talk, many people were waiting and it was already running late.

"_Nice first impression Santana, nice._" The brunette swore mentally. "The one and only!" She joked, trying to erase the feeling of rapidly overwhelming embarrassment due to travel to her cheeks.

"What movie today?"

"Our Winter of Love?" She made a face that did not go unnoticed by the ticket girl who raised a rather sceptical eyebrow in response.

"Oh really?" The blonde kind of mocked. Considering the face the brunette was pulling it was obvious she wasn't really convinced by her own choice.

"Yup..." Santana's cheeks reddened acutely and she felt a hot flush down her neck.

"You know what... Do you trust me? My movie taste, I mean?" Santana was immediately intrigued by this. The blonde cracked an irresistible smile.

"I guess I do..."

"Go watch this movie." The ticket girl printed a ticket. "It's on me so if you don't like it, it won't be a huge loss," she said with a wink.

"Oh no, no, I'll pay for my ticket!" Santana tried to put a bill on the counter but the blonde grabbed her hand, trapping her from making any more movements.

"I dare you to go watch it. And then come back to tell me your impression on it. Please do," she said, pushing the bill back in Santana's fist, and put the ticket on the counter with her other hand. Santana locked her eyes on the delicate fingers keeping her fist closed, holding her breath. Her heart was beating so loud she passionately believed that the blonde could probably hear it. When she looked up, the girl smiled so widely and so charmingly it convinced Santana not to negotiate further.

"_Hurry up!"_ Someone yelled behind her. The blonde let go of her hand.

"Have a good screening, Miss..." She faked seriousness for a moment, cocking her head. "I guess you're not a 'Mrs'." She looked back down at her computer, urging the brunette to go after that last unfairly teasing comment. Santana shyly grabbed her ticket despite her fingers feeling all numb. She hesitated a second before going, her breath caught in her throat, unable to utter a single word.

"_Can you hurry up please!_" Someone called again.

Santana looked at the ticket girl one last time, a Machiavellian smile cutting her pretty face in two. Santana puffed. It was clear now this blonde girl was definitely one of a kind. She left dazed.

The room she entered was dark and only few people were sitting. She discreetly took a seat right in the middle row, put her coat and her bag on the seat close to her, and sat, altogether rather dumbfounded. She stared at her hand and noticed that her fingers were shyly trembling. She closed her fist in a hurry and crossed her legs and arms. She made certain to get the full control over her own body back while she waited for the movie to start.

* * *

After the blonde had finished selling the tickets and after all screenings had finally started, it was time to leave for her second job. She was working as a waiter in a club a few nights a week. She exited the booth, and as tradition dictated, took a deep breath and stretched her legs before heading inside to get her stuff and actually leave. As she made her way she couldn't help thinking about the nameless brunette.

To be honest, she had thought about her all week. She had mentally debated whether the brunette had felt the same attraction that coursed through her own body. She had replayed every word in her head, every smile and had tried tirelessly to make them work together so she'd be sure about what the brunette's true intentions were. However, without any name, phone number or address - not even what kind of job she did, it was really rather pointless to look for her. The blonde thought she had lost her only chance to see the mystery brunette again by not introducing herself out of shyness nor asking the brunette to. She had felt a twinge of sadness but had reconciled this with the notion that she'd get over it with time.

When she had seen the brunette queueing to get a ticket earlier, her heart had beaten wildly. She only had four people to serve before her. In other words, she had five minutes to make up with what she was going to say. But, and this was exceedingly rare, she had met emptiness. She had nothing wise or perfect enough to say to seduce the other woman. And, as the last people left and the brunette had came forward, her instincts took over her. She couldn't help it and had played, true to her natural playful nature. She knew she would have been gone by the time the brunette's movie finished. She knew the girl would find an empty booth and would probably would be extremely disappointed in her. However, she had figured she'd probably be even more intrigued, out the fact she had already came back once after all, and she'd come back a second time if the blonde herself clearly asked her to visit once more. She had trusted her instincts and believed the brunette would. It was a risky strategy, but anyway, if the brunette couldn't put up with her crazy weird way of existing, then it wasn't someone for her and it wouldn't have been a huge loss.

She went in the theatre office room where she had left her stuff, put her coat on, grabbed her bag and rushed out in a flash. As she walked through the corridors and closed doors hiding movies being showed, she felt herself slowing down as she neared the room where her beloved stranger hid. She looked at her watch; she was few minutes early. She decided to take the plunge and go in.

Careful not to make any noise, she pushed the doors as quietly as a ghost would and scanned through the people in the room. Luckily, only a few dozens were there, all absorbed by the movie, so she could calmly look for her stranger. Right in the middle of the room she caught sight of a long mass of dark hair flowing down the seat's back. The blonde figured she could get closer to her -watch her better- and stepped down the stairs as quietly as possible. She was a very adventurous person nature anyway, and proved this by taking the seat in the row right behind the brunette, close enough to actually see the emotions inspired by the movie come and go on her face. The blonde only had eyes for her. She gazed in wonder at the way small dimples appeared whenever her stranger was smiling, the way her eyes wrinkled whenever she felt sad, the way the movie's lights colored her tanned skin.

Yes, the brunette resembled what love could look like, in her dreams. Tenderness was appearing on her features as she kept being moved by the movie. It contrasted deeply with the first impression she had given off, an abrupt yet intriguing women. The blonde had a sixth sense for emotions, and she guessed the brunette was one of those people hiding their inner selves behind a mask of indifference. She believed there was so much more to discover, and probably much more to fall in love with.

She knew she had been right to trust her instincts. The brunette would come back, perhaps livid, since she didn't appear to be someone who just let things go. She really would come back, the blonde was sure about it. She was also sure it would mean they could push to teasing game to a higher level.

The blonde's phone vibrated in her bag, annoying someone right behind the brunette.

"Shhh!"

The brunette actually started to turn her head to see what was happening, but something on the screen must have caught her eye quickly enough to save the blonde from getting her tender spying moment uncovered. Muting her phone and steadying her heart beats, the blonde stood up noiselessly, and left.

One hour later, Santana was a mess. The movie was indeed heartbreaking. Even more so. Perhaps the saddest thing she'd ever seen on a silver screen. In all, Santana, this famous shark, couldn't understand how the hell this girl could have such an effect on her, how she could discern the only emotions that could actually move Santana so deeply. She wondered where all her strength had gone, praying for it to come back for own sake.

She used her scarf as a tissue to dry the small tears running down her cheeks and tried to quieten her sobs while the credits scrolled down the screen. She glanced around her; men were embracing their girlfriends to comfort them and friends were sharing tissues. She found pride on some people's face, trying to get rid of the devastating emotions they were feeling, or people who were a mess, just like her. She made her way out, trying to find the perfect words to build a smart, galvanic review she could tell the blonde. Right before reaching the outside booth, she peeked at her own reflection in a window to be sure she was presentable despite the flood of tears she had cried. She figured was decent, finally braced herself and, with determined steps, she walked straight for the booth.

She found a man in it.

"Excuse-me, please..."

"Yes, Ma'am?"

"Hm... There was a girl in here before... I'm looking for her."

"Right! I'm sorry but she's already gone. Her workday is over for a good hour now." Santana felt like her feet were fastened to the ground.

"But I thought she was working all Thursday nights. She asked me to hm... come now to see her."

"Our schedules change every week. She must have mistaken," the man explained courteously.

"Maybe she's still around? I'm positive she asked me to come now. Maybe she's waiting for me somewhere...?" The man seemed embarrassed by her perseverance but Santana had long since passed the will to care.

"I can assure you she's gone. She has another job after this one and I saw her leave with my own eyes. I'm sorry, Ma'am."

Santana felt a hole growing wider in her heart. She sighed heavily. Someone behind her urged her to move on, pressed to ask the man a question about the movie.

"It's okay... I must have misunderstood. Thank you."

She walked down the stairs of the theatre, trudging as if a bomb of sadness exploded with her every step. She grabbed her phone in her back pocket with some effort and texted Quinn.

_**To Quinn:  
**__Kinda had a micro date, and got stood up right away... Going home to die._

* * *

_Let me know if you like this update :) Have a great week-end guys ! _


	3. Chapter 3

Back home, Santana was a wreck. She kept grumbling on the sofa with an ice cream pot on her lap as her only companion of the evening, all curled up in a blanket. She'd been drowning her sorrows in delectable frozen goodness for hours it seemed until someone rang the bell to the door of her apartment.

"Go away!" she yelled, making absolutely sure everyone in the building would hear.

"It's the depressed friends rescue squad! " Quinn shouted back, quite amused.

"Go fuck yourself, Fabray."

"Come on ... Let me in!" She entreated through a whine, sounding a tad childish, but since Santana wasn't talking to her all methods were fair game.

"It's all because of you! It would have never happened if we didn't go to see that fucking movie at that fucking theatre. You can rot in Hell for all I care."

"I have stuff for you!" Santana kept staring into space, giving no answer. "I'll let you punch me in the face if you want your revenge..." The blonde tempted her in a gleeful tone of voice. Santana put the ice cream on the table in front of the couch and headed to the door. She opened it slightly ajar, just enough to barely see Quinn through.

"Can I tattoo 'Betraying bitch' on your forehead?" she grumbled vindictively.

"Only if you use colored ink, I'd rather keep it girly," Quinn chuckled. Santana hesitated for a second. "I have wine!" Quinn shook a bottle in the air with a playful smile. Finally convinced now that alcohol had been thrown into the equation, Santana opened the door and went straight back to the couch.

"For the record, I fucking hate you right now."

"Tell me what happened, boo."

"She stood me up!"

"But how? You didn't even have a date..."

"She gave me a free ticket for a movie she wanted me to see. She asked me to come tell her what I thought about it after but she had already left... I don't get it, I just don't get it! She grabbed my fucking hand and almost stroked it, like I knew it was on you know? And then, nothing! Oopsie! She was gone!"

"Maybe she was somewhere else and you missed her?" Quinn imparted sagely, taking a seat beside the fuming woman.

"No," Santana harshly insisted, "I talked to her coworker and he told me she had left like.. an hour before for her second job. So nope, she was definitely gone."

"Weird... But what did she say? And what do you mean she grabbed your hand and stuff..."

"When I wanted to pay but she pushed my bucks back in my hand. I swear she fucking squeezed it..." Santana had a hard time hiding her disappointment. "And then she was all like 'Come to me later and do your review' or something... I don't know, I don't remember 'cause I was fucking thrilled by our handhold. And now it's pretty clear she doesn't want to see me again, or she wouldn't have asked me to come back, it's freaking nuts otherwise... "

"But did she say _when _you had to come back, exactly?"

"How would that change anyth- ...Oh shit." Santana's eyes went wide. "She must have meant another day!"

"She's good. She's freaking subtle..." Quinn laughed, nodding her appreciation at the ticket girl's genius. "You have to go again Santana. You _so _have to go!"

Santana's disappointment quickly disappeared, only to be replaced by what she did best, revenge. Her masterplan was slowly building itself in her mind.

"But I can't go tomorrow. That'd be too soon, right?"

"I bet she's expecting you on Thursday again," Quinn offered as Santana fell deep in thought.

"You know what," Santana chuckled darkly. "I think I have a plan."

* * *

Next Thursday, she left the office quite late, something she had done on purpose so she wouldn't have to wait alone at home before starting her evil master plan. Santana checked herself in the rearview mirror. She was safe in the dark night, all hidden in her car and had parked few minutes ago in front of the theatre. She was watching the blonde working, all smiles and full of unbridled charm, until the last person had bought their tickets. The blonde left the booth, stretched as was customary, and entered the theater. Santana waited, hoping fiercely that the blonde would actually come out with her coat on, perhaps about to leave for this so called second-job of hers. Santana's heart almost exploded in her chest when the doors were pushed open and she caught sight of the blonde zipping her jacket up. The blonde seemed to be looking for her phone in her bag, inhaled some fresh air and glanced about the street with a relaxed smile. It was almost like she was taking a little break.

Santana immediately started her car, turned around at the next corner and drove by the theater. She lowered the passenger seat window as she stopped right in front of the blonde.

"Since you wanted my review, I thought the movie sucked," Santana faked a distant tone, bending to talk to her by the window. The blonde giggled, obviously thrilled to see her again.

"I think you're lying," she teased, flashing what Santana was sure was her cutest smile.

"Then we're quits," she responded. The blonde laughed. She travelled down the stairs of the theatre and reached the car.

"At least I got to see you once more," she purred, in such a sultry voice that the brunette's legs quivered. Santana was so under her spell it was ridiculous. She held the wheel with both hands, focusing on her plan.

"Get in, Miss I-Stand-You-Up. You got yourself a ride for tonight," she joked, unlocking her doors. The blonde looked suddenly embarrassed, colouring slightly under the street lamps.

"Believe me, I'd love to... You can't imagine how much... But I gotta go to work. I lend a hand to a friend in a club as well."

"Didn't mean anything more than a ride. Get in," Santana insisted, bending to push the passenger door open.

The blonde complied; after all she had waited this moment all week. She had expected to see her of course, how could the brunette not come? She had imagined the brunette coming to another screening, or just keeping her company between the screenings. She'd been very surprised by the brunette being suddenly so forward with her. She had always seemed to be so shy and somewhat awkward.

As the blonde sat, she discreetly leered at the woman who had haunted her for days now. Santana wore a short dress that lifted on her thighs. It revealed some great cleavage that allowed her to actually glimpse at the valley between her breasts. The blonde's cheeks flushed red. Santana's choice of outfit wasn't innocent at all.

Santana started the car, ripping the pedals with her heels. The blonde glanced down as sexy black pumps speeded up the car. Santana caught sight of the shy ogling.

"Sorry, I just got out of work myself. I didn't have time to change," she said with a smirk, satisfied by the other girl's attention. "Where are we going?"

"Barclay's street," the blonde let out, caught out.

"En route!" Eyes on the road, Santana had enough strength to get her teasing momentum back. "So working in an art house and a club. What else do you hide?" She smiled as she felt eyes glued to her appreciatively.

"My name, obviously. I'm Brittany," the blonde managed to stutter, putting herself together once more. She offered her hand as Santana stopped the car at a stoplight. After all, they deserved an official introduction after two run-ins.

"Nice to meet you... Brittany." Santana shook her hand and let the pleasure last. The soft skin in her palm, blue eyes diving in hers, seemed to condemn her good resolutions and she watched them vanish in a puff of dark smoke. Before her determination to tease the blonde, until the latter's heart melted, completely disappeared, she slowly retracted her hand, almost caressing Brittany's.

"Nice to meet you too, Miss... ?" Brittany asked, encouraging the brunette to also reveal her name.

"Oddly, I can't remember my name when you're around," Santana playfully said in a deep, sensual voice.

The blonde would have to fight for her, now it was clear. Brittany had set the rules by standing her up first and Santana had only pushed the game to another level. Brittany felt warmer and warmer as the brunette's indecently sexy dress played with her nerves. Her cleavage was to die for: the way her breast softly trembled with each bump on the road was indecent, the way it flattered her so kissable neck was indecent, the ends of her black hair wandering between her breast... it was all criminally indecent.  
Brittany felt a huge pressure growing in her heart, travelling down her stomach, and lower. Lower again. There wasn't enough air in the car. She felt too hot and the brunette would probably feel that warmth radiating since they were in such a small space.

"So you're a night owl?" Santana lazily asked, proud to have been handling her feelings so well.

Brittany chuckled. "Not really. I just choose to escape home by night. I live in a crazy place where artists party all night before passing out. I make sure to come back by then so I'm cool all day to do my art." Santana was taken aback, clearly. Brittany seemed to be her complete opposite. "I paint. Well, I try to." Brittany shrugged happily. "But don't get me wrong, I love my jobs. They give me all the inspiration I need."

"What do you paint?"

"People, mostly. I like to capture people's emotions on canvas." Santana smiled, oddly taken by this little factoid.

"Have you painted me?" Santana grabbed the gear stick, her hand seemed terribly close to Brittany's thigh. The blonde started to fidget in her seat. She felt the still nameless woman start to take control over her, over their game. She wondered how she could switch roles again but the heat radiating from her cheeks reminded her of how hard this would truly be.

"I never talk about my paintings until they're finished."

"Superstitious much?"

"Only about my masterpiece," she said in her most seductive voice, dark eyes on Santana. She caught sight of a growing blush on the brunette's cheeks.

"Is it that club over here?" Santana cut, slowing in front of a building with a big neon sign.

"It unfortunately is." Both internally groaned, dreading this moment. The blonde peeked at her watch; regrettably she didn't have a lot of time left. Actually, she was already late. "Will I see you again? I could use a longer moment together... To get some inspiration for my paintings."

"When?" Santana bent to open the glove compartment. Of course, she made sure to take all her time, bending a little more than strictly necessary. Her long hair brushed against the blonde's arm and her sweet perfume exhilarated the other girl's mind. Brittany's heart raced, as though it were about to explode and her breath stopped. Santana grabbed a pen and a business card out of the compartment. Sitting back, she brought the card to her luscious lips, and ripped the top, erasing her name and phone number with one foul swoop. The blonde couldn't stop staring at those full pouty lips. All she could think about was all the things she wanted to do to them...

"How will I let you know if you don't give me your number?" She tried, eyes locked on the smirking lips.

"That'd be too easy, Brittany..."

"I'm free on Fridays. Any Fridays," Brittany blurted desperately. She was running out of time. She truly hoped the brunette would jump at the chance to see her the next day.

Santana wrote the address of a club on the card and carefully avoided the girl's probing eyes.

"At 9 sharp. My treat, I owe you a ticket, remember?" Santana sensually winked. She couldn't get rid of the smirk on her lips as she gave Brittany the little ripped paper. Brittany took it without breaking her gaze from the enticing lips so close, yet so far away. "I think eight days is a decent amount of time to show me the first sketches of your masterpiece."

"Inspiration is already kicking in." Brittany opened the door and started to step out. She held on for a second. She slightly bent towards the brunette, who clutched the wheel with both hands. With a soft finger, Brittany pushed a hair lock away from her ear. "I always wanted the work on nudes..." She whispered, so close Santana could feel her breath hitting off her own skin. It sent shivers down Santana's spine and goosebumps rising along her arms. "I can't wait for next week."

"Me neither..." Santana let out, watching her leave with a half lidded sort of worship.

Brittany stood by the car, attention firmly captured by the small ripped paper colored with Santana's lipstick prints. She was fascinated by the maze of pale color drawing sweet promesses on the card. Santana immediately drove away, turning in the closest street in case Brittany was still watching. She parked as soon as she could, hurried to get out of the car and walked a few steps on the road's shoulder, leaving the car dangerously unlocked.

Her walls shattered. The teasing and strong character she had mentally built for herself, disappeared in a flash. Santana had thought the only way she could overcome the trance the blonde usually pushed her in was to hurl herself in the teasing game. She knew the blonde's smiles and her skillful words would easily ruin her efforts to hide her feelings. Santana had been convinced she just had to hold on for twenty minutes to successfully accomplish her plan.

Walking on the pavements, she let the pressure fall, breathing heavily. She just needed a brisk walk. Some fresh air to cool her overheating head … and heart. She came back to her car eventually and grabbed her phone in her bag. She dialed Quinn. Second nature by now.

"_Hel-"_

"It's fucking on!" She almost yelled, pacing the dark street with the excited steps of a young child.

"_So it worked?" _

"Hell yeah! Two more minutes and she'd have ripped my clothes off! I swear she'd have fucked me right on the backseat!"

Quinn laughed, all gleeful and relieved over the line. _"Oh my god... Did you ask her out on a date then?" _

'Fridayyyyy!" Santana sang joyfully, twirling on the spot.

"_Tomorrow?" _

"No! God no... I need time to put myself together... Next week. But it's good. We'll both have time to really prepare ourselves for the date. It's gonna be special... Oh and you know what? She's an artist!"

"_Oh really? Awesome!" _

"She's a painter and she wants to do my portrait. Naked." Santana giggled, the happiness she felt in her chest only bubbling over until every limb in her body felt warm and abuzz with this sudden energy.

"_You're gonna get laid girl, oh my god..."_

"I know! Jeez, this girl is awesome... Eeeeeeee! I'm gonna get a girlfriend! I'm so gonna get a freaking sexy, smart... AWESOME GIRLFRIEND!" She yelled, too excited to care that late night walkers were throwing her wary glances. She stamped her feet, her heels drumming on the ground while laughing hysterically.

* * *

Thanks to my awesome beta !

Tell me what you think :) If there's things you didn't like, or you'd like to see happening, just tell me :) !


	4. Chapter 4

Brittany wandered into Santana's office during lunchtime. She flipped through the papers on her desk, all neatly stacked and organized in pretty colored folders. She grabbed the little name plaque with "S. Lopez, H.R Manager" written in golden characters on black plastic and stroked it with a light thumb, thoughtful. Suddenly, Santana opened the door but kept talking with a friend, unaware someone was waiting for her.

"I'm gonna hire a smoking hot assistant for you!" She joked loudly with her friend.

"_I think a great six pack, brown-haired, sort of Latino background are the basic requirements for this position,"_ her friend laughed.

"I think I might have that in stock. See ya Suzie!"

"_See ya later girl!"_

Santana kept giggling as she closed the door and dumped her stuff on a chair close by.

"Good afternoon, Miss Lopez," Brittany said, taking her time to fill every word with sensuality.

Shocked to hear the voice she knew almost too well, just behind her, Santana lost grip on the phone she was holding, letting it crash on the ground. She turned very slowly, dazed and stupefied, in a moment that felt like it was crawling. She wasn't sure where her dream ended and reality began. Was this another figment of her imagination? A spectre her mind had conjured to tease and torture her?

The blonde behind the desk slightly shook the little sign with her name on it in the air with a cute grin, and put it back down slowly, almost calculating. She obviously had prepared her little surprise with great talent. Wearing a loose blouse that made her look like an angel to the gawking other woman, she walked around the desk with sure and light steps. She leaned against it, pushing away the two chairs in front with a little shove of her foot, so Santana could have a perfect view of her legs, flattered by a long skirt and pumps that made her seem taller than she actually was.

Brittany figured the brunette had lost her ability to speak. Her face flushed red, her numb arms falling along her oddly straight body, dark eyes filled with surprise -and lust. She decided, in a moment of pure animalistic dominance, to play her pitilessly.

"I think you might have a few questions for me... First, how do I know where you work?" Santana didn't move, didn't blink. Her fragile strength had hurriedly deserted her mind and body as soon as she had caught sight of the blonde. "Well... You should have ripped the logo of your company out of your business card as well."

Brittany pushed her skirts vent slightly open. "Second, how did I get in?" She crossed her legs and offered a full view of her perfect, tanned, muscular legs. "You really shouldn't hire such gay receptionists," Brittany teased and Santana frowned acutely at the comment. Her receptionist was the straightest girl to have ever graced straightdom. Her expression didn't go unnoticed by Brittany. "Believe me, she's gay. And apparently, you're the only 'short gorgeous Latina' of the company. Lucky me!"

She leaned against the desk harder, taking a very comfortable and very open position. A position that would suggest the blonde would totally agree to be pushed back on the desk, if the Latina wanted to make her naughtiest dreams come true. "Don't worry, I didn't have to explain the terrible emergency bringing me here... As I said, you shouldn't hire such gay receptionists. My desperate expression must have been clear enough considering how easily she indicated me to where your office is."

Brittany decided to push it even more, she undid the first button of her shirt. "That being said... You must be wondering what emergency could possibly be terrible enough to make me drive through the entire city on a Monday morning... shamelessly seduce receptionists to get to see you earlier than planned... and lean against your desk undressing myself... ?"

Getting some power back out of sheer despair and longing, Santana hurriedly went to close the blinds on her door. The last thing she wanted was someone, like her boss, seeing what was happening. She rushed to lock the door too. She didn't know what to do next, her mind was completely blank. Her body started to burn from inside. She just stood there in front of the safely locked door, deafened and shaking.

Brittany smirked. She undid a second button.

"Don't you wonder, Santana?" She inquired, fingers on the third button. Santana wasn't sure if she was asking about her previous question, or if she was asking for permission to pursue. "Don't you? The blonde insisted, sliding a finger in between, right against her breast, about to make the button pop as soon the brunette agreed.

Santana cleared her throat, "Yes." The button disappeared. Brittany's finger went down, waiting for the next button which, once opened, would probably reveal her bra.

"I'm glad you do," Brittany purred. "This morning, I woke up feverish. Again. Actually, I do every morning since our little chat in your car the other day. I have these... _thoughts_, haunting my dreams." Fourth button. "But that night, it was even _warmer_ than before. So warm I couldn't stand it." She slid her hand in between her shirt. She seemed to stroke the skin underneath, tantalizingly slowly. Santana's felt a shy drop of sweat run down in between her own breasts, the sight of Brittany opening herself up almost causing her to overheat with want.

"So I told myself, 'Brittany, you should do something to..." Fifth button, "relieve the _pressure'_." Her hand was dangerously lowering down across her stomach. "Do you know what I do when I'm in such a mood?" Brittany barely opened her blouse with a shy hand, offering Santana a small preview of what was to come.

"I paint." She softly stood up. "I bet this isn't what you were think of," she breathed with a chuckle. She started to walk around the desk, heading towards Santana's armchair. "I had an incredibly productive inspiration this morning. So incredible I'd like to show you what I..._ imagined._" She pushed the chair away from the desk, gesturing to Santana to come sit.

Santana knew perfectly well there would be no turning back if she actually sat. She wanted to reply to Brittany's merciless actions but it was like the blonde had stolen all her words, only leaving the excruciating desire to kiss her on her trembling lips. In the meantime, she wanted to move but her feet were glued to the ground. She was stuck in her position. Stuck with her wildest desires.

Brittany raised an eyebrow, urging her to come closer, to give in and take a seat. Santana somehow powered through her frozen body and stepped closer. Each step felt more painful than the last, her legs weak and her thighs burning hot. Brittany pushed the chair even more, and offered her hand with a flourish to help her sit. Santana didn't take it, unsure if she would be able to actually breathe if she felt the blonde's skin against her again.

Brittany shrugged, amused as the brunette sat. She pushed the chair back against the desk and placed herself right behind her. There was a notepad on their right and she pointed to it.

"Can I?" Santana nodded, so shyly it was barely noticeable.

She felt like she was right about to die because of intense and burning attraction. Behind her, she could feel Brittany's natural warmth and she was convinced the material of her shirt was actually brushing her own hair. Brittany was too close, too warm and too undressed for Santana to function. Brittany bent against her, to grab a pen in a tub by the plaque with the shiny letters. Santana hesitated to grab it herself, for her own sake, so the blonde wouldn't have to bend like she was doing, her long hair tickling her shoulder, and her arm passing right by her own. They were one measly inch apart.

With only one hand, Brittany opened the notepad on the first page and scribbled in a corner to see if the pen was actually working and what color it was.

"All night, I imagined what might have happened after our little encounter." She started to sketch, an obviously skillful hand directing the pen. Santana locked her eyes on its progress. Considering how well she drew the lines, she very quickly would know what her painting back home was exactly like.

"When you were..." She drew what started to look like a bare bust, "... back home." She kept going, fleshing out the stomach and legs.

"I had such vivid dreams it didn't take long before I gave my drawing the perfect shape." The girl on the paper seemed to have her legs quite spread, a frustrating and messy sheet covering the most lustful place of a body. Santana could feel her sweat growing at the small hairs of her neck, between her breast, between her thighs. Mostly between her thighs.

Brittany started to draw the arms. "I had to guess the skin color in some quite intimate places but it was easy to do." The arms lead to hands, one hidden under the sheet right between the thighs, and the other would be close to the still undrawn head. The girl's position suggested she was having a lot of pleasure on her own. Santana strongly crossed her own legs by reflex, bothered by the throbbing heat she felt right in between.

Brittany kept drawing, tackling the hair. The black mass seemed scattered on a pillow, between the girl's breast, all around the still undone face. "However..." She stopped talking, focusing on drawing the face's features the best she could.

Air totally disappeared from Santana's lungs when she saw how accurate the portrait Brittany was sketching was. An expression of rapture drawn over a very alike face to her own, a hand playing with the lower lip, _her _lower lip. Right about to explode before what seemed like an unprecedented orgasm.

Santana tensed all her muscles to help her cope. The blonde's hair kept brushing her shoulder and she was sure if she even slightly turned her head, she'd have a plain view down the blonde's opened blouse, her entire cleavage on display for greedy and wanting eyes. But all she could do was remain uncomfortably rigid in her chair, afraid to move even an inch.

The drawing was now fully complete and Brittany put the pen down with a soft stroke. Santana couldn't keep her eyes off the movement. Red wasn't near enough to describe the colour of her cheeks, they were about to turn crimson, purple even. The fact was that after the car ride, Santana had needed a little help to find sleep, too thrilled with how the evening had gone to succumb to dreams. The memory was too much, Santana was about to lose it. She turned her head, but was stopped right away by Brittany talking again.

"I'm surprised you didn't ask me yet what my emergency was." Santana had lost track of the monologue a while ago and so frowned. Brittany bent lower, so she could whisper right by her burning face, cheek to cheek. "Once I finished painting your body, every single bit of your skin, I decided to go for your sweet face. But something kept me. I couldn't do it. I really didn't know how to do it. In fact, I lacked one piece of crucial information."

She pushed Santana's hair over her left shoulder with a delicate hand. Santana felt the blonde hair tickling her neck. Brittany caressed her collarbone, now free from all the hair, quickly and gently, before retracting her hand. A very small, innocent gesture, yet it set all of her body on fire.

"I didn't know what shade of pink I should use for your cheeks. For when you're turned on," she murmured on an exhale against her ear. Santana turned her head, Brittany pulled away to look at her better. "Now I know."

Brittany looked her straight in the eyes. With a soft thumb, she stroked Santana's luscious upper lip. She wiped the lipstick residue on the white paper, right by the drawing. "I could use your lips' color too." She stroked her cheek and stared at her for a second, capturing this moment in her mind. She pulled away, leaving Santana all numb and clearly speechless. She turned fully around to see her. Brittany was buttoning her shirt again.

"I plan a self-portrait with lipsticks marks everywhere on my neck." She smirked. Santana didn't know what to do with herself. Brittany was about to leave. She was indeed about to leave her with this burning desire. It wasn't fair.

Brittany ripped the worksheet out of the notepad and folded it. "I'm taking this back for my personal collection." She bent and placed a warm thrilling kiss against a burning cheek, "I can't wait for Friday." Slowly, she headed out and winked one last time over her shoulder before unlocking the door and actually going, for good.

Once again, she had ruined all Santana's efforts to power through their attraction. It was all ruined. She was turned on as _hell_. She didn't know anything more about the blonde and the girl had gone and found out almost everything about her. She was devastated but in the most delightful way.

* * *

Tell me what you think! Do you like this chapter? :)


	5. Chapter 5

"So let's repeat that: You say you're a galerist, that you can't contact Brittany 'cause you miswrote her number and for more safety you also want her address and-"

"Santana, I'm not stupid, don't worry. It's gonna be fine!" Quinn reassured her friend, while they waited in the car right in front of the theater. It was lunchtime and the man in the booth was finishing selling tickets for the first screening of the day. They had both escaped from work early to accomplish the plan they had slaved over. "Come on, trust me, I'm gonna get what you need."

Santana bent low in her seat to see if there still were people waiting at the ticket booth and heaved a heavy sigh of relief when she saw there were only a couple left. "Okay... I think you should go now." She murmured, utterly distressed.

Smirking, Quinn exited the car with with her purse and strutted passed the traffic. Santana watched her cross the street, skip to the stairs with happy dainty steps, and reach the booth right as the last couple lumbered away. It was killing Santana not to be able to hear or see Quinn's face as she was negotiating the 'Holy Grail' as it were. Instead she locked her sights on the man's reactions. Quinn kept swaying on her feet and leaning on the counter as she spoke. Santana was sure, so sure, she was seducing the man to the best of her ability. She suddenly felt a small pang of shame to have sent her friend do her dirty work, but the man had already seen her once and she couldn't risk him telling Brittany she was stalking her. Quinn, with her chic vintage clothes and charming face really looked like a gallerist, or someone arty at least. She was perfect for the job.

At the booth Quinn threw her head back in a laugh, startling Santana out of her musings.

"God, get the number girl, you're not here for tea time..." she grumbled, shaking her legs in a stressed, trembling pace. Quinn grabbed something in her purse. It seemed to be a notebook. "Yes!"

When Brittany had left her office the day before, Santana had felt like utter shit. First of all, Brittany had set the bar way too high on their little teasing game. Santana had agonized all day wondering how she could possibly manage to beat the ticket girl at their own game. It seemed impossible, especially when the blonde had such a strong effect over her, enabling her to talk, to move, to do anything when she was around. She just didn't know how in the hell she would actually succeed.

Second of all, she was turned on. Her arousal had lasted all day. She had hoped a good sleep would help but when she woke up that morning it wasn't any better. She'd have to wait until Friday. It seemed like an eternity away. She had an option though: Going to the theatre and hitting on Brittany with the hope things would get heated in some hidden alcove. However, Santana thought it was lame, it would be relieving, admittedly, but lame all the same. It was her turn to do something. She had to think about something worthy, something unexpected, since Brittany had pitilessly destroyed all her possible attempts at teasing, turning all her strategies to ashes.

Santana had called Quinn earlier that morning in a panic. She'd needed her friend with her wise advice and discerning ideas. Quinn had indeed suggested Santana should find a new area Brittany hadn't the courage to tackle. A new angle to gain some power out of this situation, in which Santana was the one eaten alive. As the conversation had unfolded, ideas had popped in Santana's head. And to act upon these ideas, she needed her phone number and address, _desperately_.

The man exited the booth and went to shake Quinn's hand. The blonde kept swaying playfully, went to go down the stairs and waved at the man. "Thank God..." Santana grumbled under her breath, fidgeting with the fabric of the seats. Quinn came close the car with an excited expression that made Santana's heart soar. She got in, put her purse down on her lap and looked for her notepad.

"So?" Santana yelled, mere seconds away from throwing herself at the 'gallerist'. Quinn ripped a sheet and handed it over.

"Here's her surname, number and address. She lives in some sort of artistic building, like a studio she shares with other artists. I didn't really get what the guy meant but well, it's useful to know anyway! What else... I made sure he won't tell her about this. And I think that's it!"

Santana hurriedly unfolded the small sheet of paper. She would have squeezed it if she hadn't been afraid to tear it up accidentally in her jubilee. "I freaking love you, Fabray!" she shrieked. Quinn watched her friend with a tender gaze that spoke volumes without saying a word. "God, you're a saint..." Santana started the car. "Why are you so sure he won't spill though?" She asked, a tint of worry painting her voice..

Quinn shook the little pad as she spoke, "I got a date on Friday as well!" Santana let out an astonished breath. "What? I think it's normal I get rewarded considering my awesomeness as a friend. I want my little romance too!" They giggled.

Friday came by fast. Santana had actually taken the afternoon off of work complaining of a searing fever. She had driven by Brittany's apartment, parked and waited to get enough strength to carry her plan out. Incognito under her large glasses, she tiptoed in the building carrying a huge bouquet of colorful flowers. She thought for sure she'd be stuck outside like some rejected Romeo but luckily someone came by and allowed her in.

"Hi! I'm looking for Miss Pierce's apartment?" She asked the man in question. A man who obviously didn't only smoke cigarettes..

"Who?" he asked incredulously. In this building where only artists lived, everybody knew each other and, according to his blurry mind, there wasn't any Pierce girl in here.

"Brittany? Tall, blonde-"

"Oh you mean _Britt_! Yeah, 3rd floor on the left." The man drifted away with a wan smile. It wouldn't have surprised her if he'd been distracted by something shiny.

Santana made her way to the stairs with a nervously beating heart. Doors seemed to be always open in this building and it looked like it had a very enthusiastic and lively atmosphere. There were drawings and tags all over walls but it wasn't a squat. It clearly was a place where the most creative heads of the city were living, tomorrow's artistic talents sleeping behind every door.

She found her door, the only one closed on this floor. She decided to hide back in the stairwell a few meters away and grabbed her phone in her back pocket, putting the bouquet on the ground for the moment.

_**To Brittany:  
**Are you at home? _

She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. The beats were drumming in her chest, this syncopated rhythm that any drummer would be proud of. She hoped Brittany hadn't gone out. That would totally compromise her plan.

Her phone vibrated.

_**To Santana:  
**__Which terrible stalker do I have the honor of speaking to...?_

_**To Brittany:  
**__Your muse._

Santana couldn't smile any wider than she was currently smiling. Writing was easy, much easier than actually talking. That was the only thing she had found which allowed her to get some control back. She needed to talk to Brittany when the blonde wasn't around her, when she wasn't under her spell. Brittany's reply kept her waiting. Worry kicked in.

_**To Santana:  
**__I'm thrilled... I was actually putting the final touches on my painting. I can assure you you're very hm... *pretty* on it._

Santana chuckled. A huge wave of relief ran down her spine. She took a second to think of a clever retort. Her phone unexpectedly vibrated again.

_**To Santana: **  
I can't wait for tonight to turn my artistic dreams into reality._

Santana giggled even more, feeling like a teenager hiding from her parents to text her lover. She grabbed the bouquet at her feet, tiptoed as quietly as she could, and put it down on her doormat. She readjusted the little card lost in the flowers so the blonde wouldn't miss it. She walked back to the stairwell and hid behind its door, leaving it slightly ajar, just enough to let her catch sight of Brittany's door and the awaiting bouquet.

_**To Brittany:  
**__It's my turn to show you how much I can't wait for tonight._

Her phone vibrated right away. She had hard time keeping her chuckles down.

_**To Santana:  
**__How?_

_**To Brittany:  
**Open your door. _

She set her phone on mute. Just in case the blonde would hear it vibrating when she would open her door. An unlocking sound rang out in the quiet corridor. Santana kept spying, reducing the room between the stairwell's door and the wall to almost nothing. She couldn't be safe enough.

"_Oh man..." _Brittany shyly giggled, drying her hands full of paint on her dirty shirt.

She scratched her head, clearly taken aback. She stroked her neck as her smile grew larger and larger as the seconds ticked. She hunkered down, gazed at the gorgeous bouquet as though afraid it might disappear if she touched it. With what seemed like a trembling hand, she grabbed the little card and read it.

"_Holy shit...! Fuck, fuck, fuck..." _Brittany started, sweetly laughing and scrunching her nose disbelievingly.

For the first time, Santana was witnessing Brittany's walls shattering. She wasn't this confident woman anymore, she wasn't playing. She was being herself, a girl who loved to love and being loved back. She guessed Brittany had the same blush growing, the same heat radiating in her body, and was feeling all these feelings Santana had felt so well. Santana had no words to describe how happy she was it wasn't just a teasing game. It was just the shiny part hiding something deeper, something sweeter. She succeeded in a field Brittany hadn't dared venture in before, sheer romance.

Someone exited another apartment and found Brittany standing there, speechless and dumbfounded as she stared at the little card.

"_Someone's flirting!"_ The man whistled playfully. Brittany grabbed the bouquet and stood up.

"_Look at that..."_ She handed the small card to the man and she smelled her bouquet tenderly. He read it and burst into loud laughter.

"_Is that from your date for tonight?" _

"_Yup..."_

"_Oh my god... At least if you can't walk tomorrow, we'll know why!_" he joked, slapping her shoulder.

"_Classy, Tom!"_

"_Seriously though: 'I don't know how to paint but I know how to love. xoxo Santana.'? Subtitled : I'm horny, my place ASAP'"_

"_There's other things than sex Tom! You know, romance, mystery..." _She explained to her friend while twirling in place, like a girl in love at a ball with her dance partner. _"Maybe she meant falling in love or..." _hope filled her voice. _"Anyway! I don't thank you for ruining my little moment!"_ the blonde laughed, all flustered and blushing as she poked Tom in the chest. It melted Santana's heart. Brittany took her card back in a hurry. She didn't want Tom to ruin the romanticism of the moment anymore than he already had. _"I'll go to this date, we'll flirt and-"_

"_You're gonna fuck the shit out of her, yeah!"_

"_Stop it!" _She poked him again and grinned when he made an affronted noise of exasperation. _"And we'll fall madly in love, end of the story!" _She finished her sentence with a beaming smile.

"_Leave the door open, I want to record the sextape myself!"_ Tom roared with laughter, departing for another apartment. Brittany let her chuckles die and then grabbed her phone in her jeans' pocket, covered with paint stains.

_**To Santana:  
**__You win. Hands down... Are you still around my building? Come now... Please..._

Proud of her massive victory, for once, Santana walked down the stairs making absolutely no sound. If she couldn't handle herself around the blonde, at least her well-thought out words were efficient. She was glad that out of the many sentences she had thought of, this particular one had marvellously worked. At least Brittany would now know what she was thinking, she would know that maybe, Santana was too shy to behave like her and compete with her confidence on the matters of the heart.

She texted back when she felt safe at the building entrance, far from Brittany and her corrupting influence.

**To Brittany:  
**_9 sharp. I'll be the one waiting for you :)_

Brittany sighed and went back in her apartment. She put the bouquet on a table and looked for a vase. Curiously, she peeked out the window. She saw a brunette running towards a car right across from her building and watched the car leave, tenderness flowing all over her. She smiled.

She still had few hours to wait before the date, but waiting had just become physically painful now. Once the bouquet was all set in a pretty vase, she set it on her bedside cabinet. She wandered around her apartment, a large loft strewn with drying paintings, books, flowers and brushes. There wasn't any door, any wall, it was just a single room where creativity was at its best. She tried to get back to work, but she just stared at her white canvas, incapable of doing anything. Her mind was full of haste and visions of mocha eyes.

* * *

Their date is coming... Maybe next update? Maybe not? Questions, questions... Haha ! :p  
Tell me what you think ! :)


	6. Chapter 6

"Your date's here!" The club's owner who happened to be a friend of Santana's whispered when she rushed in.

"What? Already?" Brittany was indeed very early. Santana had planned to have a little time to order drinks, make herself comfortable before the blonde would actually arrive. Now everything had been turned upside down.

"Yeah, she's at your table." Santana's eyes skimmed through the club and found Brittany immediately, patiently waiting at a table a little hidden in a corner, an angel in a devilish dress.

Santana took a deep breath, "Okay, thanks," she replied to her friend without a glance, eyes set steadfast on the blonde.

Brittany caught sight of her coming and wondered if she should stand up or not. Still so moved by this afternoon's surprise, she had lost a little of her confident demeanour. Santana rushed by her side, sitting very quickly on the chic leather banquette, not too far and not too close. They didn't know what to say. They smiled embarrassedly at each other, both mentally cursing their awkwardness.

"Thanks for the flowers. I loved them very much."

"My pleasure..." Santana shyly said as she grabbed a drink the waiter had just put on the table.

Brittany kissed her cheek and was pleased Santana let her do so, with a tender smirk on her lips. She had never been kissed that softly - that tenderly before. She thought it was ridiculous that such an innocent kiss could send her to paradise that quickly. This girl was something else.

They wanted to kiss, hug and stroke each other. But for once they had a moment. A calm, long moment that could last until the middle of the night, and even maybe after. They didn't need to rush and neither of them wanted to actually. They wanted to simply enjoy the vacuum they were suddenly encased in - this bubble that surrounded them. Only they just didn't know how to make the conversation flow.

When Brittany pulled away, feeling a sudden cruel emptiness on her skin, she just stared at her. She hesitated between Santana's lips and eyes. Brittany smiled. She'd keep her lips for later. What she wanted most was to talk and get to know each other.

"Do the flowers fit your decoration?"

Brittany chuckled. "Yes, I put them close to my bed so I can see them from anywhere. I'll try not to splash paint on them, I promise."

"Do you paint in your bedroom?" Santana was immediately intrigued. "Do you live in a studio apartment or something?"

"No, it's a loft. That way I can wake up and grab a brush and paint right away. I have my bed in a corner, a bookshelf in another..." She explained, her expression adopting a tender faraway look , "Sometimes I don't even eat. I just wake up and start to paint."

Santana smiled widely. Brittany was her complete opposite and she found it just … cute. Alluring. Adorable. Enticing. Her own apartment had a room specific to each activity; a library and even a dining-room. She thought it was random to be attracted to someone so different, but maybe, it was the key to success. Maybe this was why she had never existed harmoniously with anyone else before. She needed someone to make her dreams come true, to push her to be better and to be able to bear her without raising their voices in retaliation. Brittany seemed to fit the bill.

"But I do have a fridge! Somewhere hidden under the paintings... I haven't seen it in a while though..." Brittany kept joking.

Santana imagined herself included in the blonde's routine. She imagined how she could pop in with takeaways for lunch, to make sure the blonde ate something. Maybe a quick kiss and then they would both would go back to work. She imagined herself grumbling because she'd get a little paint stain on her favorite top and Brittany would probably laugh at her, saying it didn't really matter, that she could get another one but art is unique. At the thought, Santana chuckled.

"What's making you laugh?" Brittany asked, a happy smile stretched tight on her face.

"Nothing. I'm just really happy to be here, talking to you..."

Grinning, Brittany came closer until their thighs were touching. Santana was too shy to go any further. It wasn't about sexual attraction anymore. Sex was easy even emotionless sometimes. However, considering the growing tenderness they felt for each other, they didn't want to play at all. Both were looking for the way to switch universe, from playing to actually falling in love.

Brittany had done the first step now she'd wait until the brunette felt ready enough to go further. She didn't want to push it. She kept repeating to herself that they had time and if the brunette didn't respond just yet that it was fine. It was more than fine.

The conversation resumed with renewed vigor. Santana felt jubilant with the warm thigh against her own. It was the fragile bound she'd lacked until now. It gave her courage to fight her awkwardness and actually lead the conversation.

One hour later, they were hysterically laughing.

"...And then back in college, Quinn and I had this little bet over guys. We made them fall in love and then pitilessly dumped them. Oh man, that was a great time!" Santana kept sharing stories, making the blonde laugh and be beyond thrilled to see her open up like that. "But then I came out of the closet so I stopped the game. I was so mean to guys when I was 'straight'! We're so stupid in college..." She chuckled as a waiter brought them refills.

"So you're not gonna dump me after you...hm." Brittany let Santana guess the rest. "It's a good thing you came out then." She giggled.

At the idea, Santana felt a twinge of sadness. For a long suffering moment she suddenly regretted telling Brittany the story. Maybe the blonde would believe she could still behave like the old Santana; the one who'd been so terrified of being different she'd warranted stupid bets to solidify her 'straightness'. She drank a good gulp to give herself some courage. She contemplated her glass for a second before looking up. As Brittany was staring back tenderly, Santana managed to move her hand from her lap to the blonde's thigh. She just left it there, too shy to stroke the thin material of Brittany's dress.

"We all did mistakes in college... I dyed my hair purple!" Brittany kick-started the conversation once more, determined to not make a big deal of a past that had no place for the future she was looking forward to. That way their tenderness would grow naturally. Easily.

"Your gorgeous hair! Oh no, you didn't!" Santana started, laughing, shoulders trembling at the image..

"Yes Ma'am, I did... Art graduates' problems. It involves a lot of hair color changing."

"I bet you still looked hot. Even with purple hair." Santana started to stroke Brittany's thigh, reassured and gaining more confidence.

"I looked like something out of a Tim Burton movie... Believe me, it's not happening ever again!" Brittany giggled. "I have pictures at home, I'll show you-" Santana almost lifted her dress, so she could stroke the skin right under. "...someday."

"I'll show you my sorority years pictures then."

"I'd love that." Brittany came closer and slid an arm around Santana's lower back. "Was that when you came out of the closet?"

"It sort of helped, yeah..."

Santana naturally curled up against her. She looked up and stared at Brittany's lips. She raised her hand a little higher on the girl's thigh and Brittany held her even closer. Words, talking... it all instantaneously vanished from their minds. Brittany went to stroke her jaw, featherlight fingers gracing her skin with smooth caresses. They knew it was the last moment before their lips would meet, the last moment before everything would change. They didn't rush.

Softened and body humming, Santana rested her head against Brittany's neck. She was inhaling her sweet scent, caressing her delicate neck skin with her nose. She raised her lips, right about to kiss the soft place. She couldn't manage so she kept breathing warm air that sent shivers all down Brittany's spine. In response, Brittany lowered her hand down and so close to sinful places, it made Santana arch her back. Her other hand played with the small hairs at the back of Santana's neck.

Santana desperately waited for Brittany to kiss her, _anywhere_, she just wanted to feel these luscious lips somewhere on her skin.

"Brittany..." She breathed out. Seconds went by. Her small interruption hadn't slowed their ministrations at all.

Santana came dangerously close to Brittany's earlobe, tempted to let her lips grab it and kiss it endlessly . "Brittany, I..."

"Tell me." Brittany caressed around the edge of her dresses neckline, so softly it almost hurt Santana to think about the words she was about to spill.

"I really... should go."

Brittany immediately pulled away to watch her, to understand this sudden twist. When she found a wry smirk on the brunette lips', she understood very clearly that she was just about to be left there, all turned on, just like Brittany herself had done to the brunette a few days earlier. However, there was no way she would let Santana leave like that, not without at least a kiss.

"The question is..." Brittany kissed her temple. "Do you..." She lowered her hand on her cheek and put another soft kiss on the flushing skin, "Really..." Another on the corner of her mouth, challenging the Latina to actually go. Santana had planned to leave right before she wouldn't be able to resist anymore. Brittany strengthened their embrace, pulling her as close as she could, determined to defy Santana's plans with devilish tenderness. She almost brushed Santana's lips with her own as she spoke. "Want to?" She whispered, her breath caressing Santana's mouth.

"I..." Brittany's hand stroked her back so softly. "Never on the first date," Santana whispered back, her heart crushing on itself but her mind thrilled by her nasty trick.

She looked for her purse and pulled away. Santana hurriedly stood up, she knew she wouldn't be able to finish her plan if she didn't rush out and didn't look back. Brittany was left dumbfounded. Incapable to do anything to fight against her reason, she watched Santana hurriedly skip through the club. She exhaled loudly, perplexed. Yes, it was technically their first date, but considering the whole story... It wasn't fair, not at all. She took a sip to cope.

Santana giggled on her way out. She winked to the owner of the bar, meaning she would come later to pay for the drinks and gossip about what just happened. She was immensely proud of herself. It had become critically hot, and she knew she couldn't have accomplished her plan if the blonde had kissed her. She was very proud to finally have stood her up, as pitilessly and unfairly as the blonde usually did. She could care less about having sex on a first date actually, but the idea of doing things right out of the teasing game was indeed very seducing. She kept giggling heading towards her car and looking for her phone.

_**To Quinn: **_

_AZIEUNCFUBEGN! I nailed it! I swear she must be drowning her frustration right now haha! Call me tomorrow to tell me about your date boo :) See ya!_

She kept walking and laughing as she stuffed her phone back in her bag. She stopped right in front of her car to look for her keys.

"Brittany, Brittany..." She whispered to herself as a large smile cut her face in two. "Damn, where are they?" She grumbled, still searching for her keys. She finally found them and started to unlock her car, chuckling.

"Santana!" Brittany shouted.

Taken aback, she turned around in a hurry and caught sight on the blonde running through the empty parking lot. Before she could take another breath, Brittany had lifted her up against the car. She pushed one of her thighs up on her hip with one hand and grabbed the back of her head with the other. Brittany didn't want to leave her with any way to escape. Santana couldn't hold a deep moan as she realized what was happening, a sudden arousal striking through her core. She felt Brittany's hand travel incredibly high up her thigh, almost holding her up by the rear. Santana curled her toes in delight and her shoe was about to fall. She spread her legs a little wider so Brittany could wedge closer. She desperately held Brittany by the neck as the woman licked her way up her neck, making Santana tilt her head up in a moan. She kissed her jaw with wet kisses, her shoe immediately clicked on the ground. She kissed her using the same path as earlier, only with wetter kisses against her temple. She took her time from her cheek and waited by the corner of her lips. Santana breathed loudly, aroused, and hot.

"I'd have liked to give you a preview of our second date..." Brittany whispered.

Santana turned her head and their lips were right in front of each other. Brittany stared at the luscious trembling lips and she brushed hers against them so lightly it was like a dream. Santana almost tried to catch them, tempted to but her reason kept telling her otherwise.

Brittany brushed again, decided to make Santana give up her resolutions. She pulled her mouth closer, and subtly teased her lower lip with her shy tongue. The sudden touch made Santana lose grip and fall an inch lower, beyond turned on. Brittany felt Santana's thighs tense around her and tried to contain her burning arousal. She licked her own lips, moistening them, before putting the lightest of kisses on the Latina's lips.

Santana surrendered and crashed their lips together. Moaning in her mouth, Brittany kissed her back again and again. She felt so soft, so sweet. She tasted even better than anything Santana could have imagined in her dreams. She had waited for those heaven sent lips for too long and had already figured she was addicted to them, to Brittany. She felt Brittany's hand move from her rear to the inside of her thigh, dangerously close to the hottest part of her whole body. She pulled away a second to refill her empty lungs with air, and kissed her again, her previous plans completely shattered and forgotten. She stroked Brittany's lips with her tongue, clearly asking for entrance. She wanted to kiss her deeply, mentally and physically at the blonde's mercy.

Brittany pulled away.

"But I guess I'll have to keep my tongue for myself," she whispered, slackening their hold a bit.

"No! No, no, no..." Santana keened desperately, trying to catch Brittany's lips again, begging hands stroking the blonde's face. Brittany turned her head away. Still holding her by the back, Brittany went to turn the key in the car lock and opened the door. The brunette grabbed her face forcefully, demanding the kiss to resume. Brittany fought against her with a smirk and put Santana down completely, her bare foot cooled on the wet ground.

"Don't let me keep you..." She gestured to Santana so she could go. "See you next Friday, Santana," She drove the point home with a devilish smirk.

"Don't do that..." Santana grabbed the material of her dress to pull her closer.

Brittany kicked Santana's shoe on floor closer to her feet. "Don't forget your shoe, Cinderella."

"Please, don't..." Santana's look was filled with lust and anger.

She just couldn't arouse her like that. Teasing was fine but this time it was beyond teasing, Brittany had just gone too far. Brittany nodded, uncompromising. Santana angrily put her foot back in her shoe and got in the car without a glance. She closed the door, furious.

Brittany chuckled and knocked on the window. She opened the window.

"I'll miss you."

Santana stared back. She wanted to look at her furiously but Brittany's comment made all her anger vanish. Brittany bent through the window and gave her a goodbye kiss. A peck that didn't last long enough in Santana's opinion.

She raised her hand to stroke Brittany's cheek tenderly. "Me too."

Smiling, Brittany turned around and looked for her own keys in her jacket pocket. She unlocked the car right nearby Santana's. The brunette frowned.

"That's my car," she explained with a chuckle. "I guess even our cars can't get enough of each other." She quickly got in and started it. With a last glance, a look filled with something that started to look a lot like love, she left.

Santana sighed. She looked at herself. She was all roughed up. Her dress was all creased and her shoe had stains from being wet on the ground. She peeked in the rearview mirror and noticed her lipstick had faded all around her lips. Unconsciously, she stroked her lips, as if it could remind of Brittany's on hers.

Santana thought about what just happened. They'd basically been fucking in the middle of the parking lot. Anybody could have seen them and she hadn't even thought about it back then; she'd been so lost in Brittany's caresses. She giggled, playing with her lips. She folded her legs and she was very quickly hit by the fact that, well... she was soaking wet.

"Fuck...!" She hit the wheel, making it honk. A woman walking right by Santana's car screamed in surprise. "Sorry!" The woman gestured that it was ok. Santana had the decency to blush as she took a deep breath. "Brittany, darling, I'm so gonna bite back on Friday..." She said with a roguish giggle as she started the car.

* * *

What did you think? Did you like it? Send your impressions! It's so cool to have some feedback, so I can write better chapters :) Happy weekend to you all! :)


	7. Chapter 7

This had been a busy weekend for Santana. The entirety of Saturday had been spent giggling while doing some shopping. She needed some new clothes - new dresses that would make her feel sexy and hot. She had spent all Sunday at brunch with her family and gossiping with her siblings about her date.

By Monday morning, she had a hard time getting back to work. Her mind still so fuzzy, dizzy with thoughts of Brittany. She kept playing with her pen, scribbling nonsense on paper that looked like clouds and little angels. Santana became flushed and embarrassed when she realized what she was doing. She was in her mid-twenties - too old to be doodling like a lovesick school girl. It wasn't her usual self at all.

Her phone buzzed. After two days without any news, Brittany was finally texting her.

_**To Santana: **  
Got up early, too much inspiration to purge. Thinking of you... _

Santana giggled even more, her feet drumming on the floor in excitement.

_**To Brittany: **_

_Don't forget to eat! I'd feel awful if you didn't eat because of me ;)_

_**To Santana: **_

_Eat? What is this word? :p Art first! _

Santana's supervisor hurriedly pushed her door open.

"Lopez, next meeting's cancelled. You're free to go for lunch and for God's sake, take your time! You've been killing yourself at work lately," he said with a fond exasperated smile.

"Noted, thanks!" As soon as he closed the door, she ripped the doodled sheet out of her notepad. Nobody should know that Santana/Shark/Lopez had a tender heart too. What if her boss had seen it? She had to get herself together, and soon! Good thing she was on break. She could use some fresh air to get her thoughts together. She could probably find some coworkers to go lunch with. She grabbed her stuff and headed out, still texting.

_**To Brittany: **  
Oh nothing, just this random thing that humans -unlike you- need to live. Btw, on my way for lunch. Talk to you later?" _

_**To Santana: **_

_Of course. Can't wait 3_

Santana grinned. She wanted to twirl. She loved this feeling, like she could fall in love. But when she looked up, she was surrounded by men and women in black or grey suits, her coworkers, who were all so serious and it stopped her straight. She cleared her throat to contain her happiness and went to Suzie's office, the woman she always had lunch with. However, when she arrived Suzie was already gone. Santana groaned. She couldn't seriously eat alone, that was just sad. Her mind wandered to her blonde as she headed out to grab a hotdog and go for a walk. Too bad she didn't have enough time for lunch _with _Brittany, that'd be awesome. But wait... She didn't have enough time to really have lunch with her. Things could seriously heat up and who knew what would happen? She'd probably wind up being super late to work. No, she didn't have enough time. But she definitely had time for a little surprise.

In the meantime, Brittany had paint everywhere. Literally everywhere. On her clothes, on the floor, her face, her hair. She liked painting with her fingers; according to her it was very entertaining and strangely freeing , although her clothes didn't share the same sentiment. She had kept her phone nearby - an old device that was ruined by time and paint and sitting happily on her coffee table, it was hard to believe that it still worked. Maybe Santana would text back. She just hoped fiercely as she worked, whistling as she worked. She kept daydreaming hoping time would fly, even if it didn't.

Her phone buzzed. She lazily grabbed the phone as she finished painting a shape. Her eyes went wide.

_**To Brittany: **_

_Open your door. _

Brittany ran, almost throwing her brushes on the ground and spilling her varnish everywhere. She desperately threw herself at the door handle and pulled it open. A pregnant pause. Santana had left some takeout safely packed on her doormat with a little note.

"Not twice!" Brittany grumbled, rushing down the stairs, "She's not gonna do this to me _twice_!" she hissed as she headed to the building entrance, just in time to see Santana's car leaving. "Damnit!"

Disappointed and feeling melancholic she came back to her apartment, taking her time. She grabbed the package Santana had left for her and pulled off the little note.

_Hey... _

_Here's some fuel for your inspiration :)  
I missed you all weekend, your lips, your perfume, your caresses... Thanks to you, I spent all morning doodling at work. Can't seem to get you out of my head either..._

_Your Santana_.

"Your Santana..." She stroked the little paper with her thumb, a wide beaming smile plastered over her face. At least the note made up for Santana's shameless escape. She looked for her phone - the one she had thrown somewhere in the rush.

_**To Santana: **_  
_I would love to have tasted this meal on your lips. Thanks, a lot :) Your Britt. _

In her car, Santana was elated. Her little escapes and surprises were working out just the way she'd planned.

At lunchtime the next day, Santana would have loved a little repeat of her surprise delivery, perhaps even to start some sort of tradition for them, a nice distraction until their date Friday. However, fate had other plans and unmercilessly left Santana at the clutches of an insane workday. Grabbing a huge coffee as her only meal of the day, Santana headed towards a conference room for one of the biggest meetings of the week.

People kept chatting, explaining useless things of which Santana didn't think she could have cared less about. She became exasperated and annoyed, wishing she could have be somewhere else - in a particular blonde's arms, for example.

Santana felt her phone buzz in her pocket. She immediately tried to hide her smile and faked seriousness. She glanced around, it seemed nobody had heard the buzz. She discreetly peeked at it.

_**To Santana:**_

_I waited for my hot delivery girl today but it seems she never got my order... That's just too bad, I always dreamed of making out right on the doorstep..._

Santana covered her mouth with her hands, hiding a growing chuckle and somehow managing to keep quiet.

_**To Brittany: **  
Delivery girl got stuck in a conference room with boring people. She sure got your order, she just delayed it to tomorrow. _

_**To Santana -one file attached-  
**Well that's a shame... I had something to give her too._

Santana hesitated to open the picture attached. She glanced around and noticed nobody was aware of her little fun. Worn down by curiosity, she decided to give it a shot. She gawked as a picture of Brittany loaded, well, technically, a picture of some _parts _of Brittany that didn't show much, but were definitely close enough.

"Santana, is there something you'd like to share?" Her boss asked lazily, intrigued by his employee's unusual behavior. Santana was usually so docile and stoic during their meetings and her apparent giddiness had not escaped him.

She fidgeted in her chair and gave a little laugh, "I was laughing at Graham's monthly results, I think it's hilarious how bad this man is at his work," she explained hurriedly.

Her boss seemed satisfied, her natural temper revealing itself once again. He laughed too, "I think we all agree on that! Then it's settled, he's fired."

Santana breathed out in relief. That had been close. She put her phone back in her pocket. She would have to reply later. Who knew where this conversation could lead. Her phone buzzed again. Santana held her chuckles and decided not to look. It was way too risky. It buzzed again, insistent to be seen.

_**To Santana: **  
Did you wear a sexy, button-down shirt and skirt today? I hope you did, 'cause in my mind, I'm currently unbuttoning all of it right on your desk. _

_**To Santana:**_

_Now, I'm loving the way you pull my hair while I'm right between your thighs... _

Her phone buzzed again right in her hand.

_**To Santana: **  
But you're afraid somebody will see us. Are you feeling the rush of adrenaline, babe? _

_**To Santana: **  
Don't worry it's almost over, your legs are already quivering around my neck..._

_**To Santana: **  
You don't know how to quiet your moans, so you grab my hand and suck on my fingers. You just need me, any part of me, against your lips. _

Santana kept seeing the texts coming in, trying to remain stoic. She was boiling inside.

_**To Santana: **  
You can feel the heat, when I hold you closer, again and again._

Santana raised her hand, requesting her supervisor's attention.

"Yes Santana?"

"I think we've been through everything that's relevant to me. Would you mind if I just skipped the rest of this meeting? I have a meeting with the CEO Thursday that I'd really like to be working on right now."

"That's fine, you can go. Thanks."

No need to tell her twice, she was already on her way out.

_**To Santana: **  
By the way, you taste awesome. _

She rushed to her office, locked the door and hurriedly sat almost letting herself fall on her armchair. She unbuttoned her blouse a little. She felt warm, way too warm to stand the tight blouse on her skin. She took deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. She peeked by the window, dreamy.

A huge smirk suddenly shone on her face. She hiked up her skirt enough to offer a full view of her legs and her pumps. She crossed her legs in a sexy position and took a picture which she sent to Brittany.

_**To Brittany: **  
Too bad you'll have to wait to touch this. See you tomorrow, if you can catch me..._

She turned her phone off with a chuckle. She wondered where she could find what she needed most at this particular moment, a huge glass of ice. She didn't care about water in the glass, she just needed the ice cubes to rub her neck with and cool herself down. Then, maybe, she'd be able to focus on work again.

Early the next morning, Brittany was just getting out of the shower. She wrapped herself in a towel and dried her hair, mind elsewhere. Brittany was determined to catch Santana, even if the brunette had only ten minutes for her. But it would be ten minutes of paradise. Once she finished getting ready, Brittany decided to distract herself with work while she waited for her favorite Cinderella to arrive. She kept her mind on her schedule as she brushed her hair and put the dryer back into its cabinet. She happily padded to her bed where her clothes were waiting and, as she dried her arms, she caught sight of her phone flashing on and off. She had one message waiting.

_**To Brittany: **  
When you wake up, open your door._

She quickly wrapped herself in her towel again and headed out. Just like the previous day, there was a meal waiting for her, but no Santana. Almost naked, it was too risky to set off in pursuit of the runaway woman in the stairwell or worse, the street. She wanted to call Santana, to negotiate for her to come back as soon as possible. Brittany realized there was no point, she'd still have to leave for work.

She grabbed the two little bags on her doormat and opened them. Today, Santana had prepared what seemed like a delicious salad in one bag and muffins in the other. Something caught her eye. She put the bags down on a table and looked for what was hidden behind the muffins.

"Oh no she didn't..." Brittany gasped out, taking a pair of Santana's panties out of the bag, wrapped in a little piece of paper. "God..." A little note fluttered to the ground.

_Hey, _

_The delivery girl was a bit early on her schedule this morning - couldn't risk waking you up, that'd have been a shame... I heard she'll have to skip lunch time today to catch up with work because it appears she's been quite useless yesterday due to some texts. _

_But at least she left you a little companion for the day. Maybe she's wearing the matching top? Or maybe she's not wearing anything at all? Questions, questions... _

_xoxo_

_Your Santana_.

Santana had been waiting for an answer all day, but nothing ever came. She was tempted to try again to tease her, like sending another text asking if she indeed liked black lace or not. But she figured a day without too much teasing would be fresh too, so things could resume later with even more fire. Anyway, she was sure Brittany had loved her little lunch bag very much.

The following morning, Santana was in a rush. She was barely on time for the day's usual surprise. She decided she'd have something cold to eat and fast to get, so it wouldn't make her late. Passing by Brittany's building, she saw someone had parked where she usually did so she parked by the far side, locking her car and smiling up at the sky. She peacefully made her way inside. By now she had the entrance code of the building, which some random guy had easily given her few days before. She was certain Brittany would still be asleep, considering the very early hour. She could have whistled as she climbed the stairs, she was feeling so happy. It was her last little surprise before their big night, one that would turn everything into a living dream for good, maybe forever.

Santana was a bit breathless when she reached Brittany's floor, having climbed the three flights of stairs. She had done these stairs four times now, and was beginning to understand very clearly why Brittany had such perfect legs. Thinking about things she'd do to those perfect legs, Santana weakly pushed the floor door.

Brittany had left her door open. Dangerously and threateningly open. Now it was clear she was waiting for her. Even without seeing her, even by just catching sight of the emptiness in the middle of the door frame, Santana guessed that Brittany had the firm intention of berating her. She rushed to close the door of the stairwell once more and hid behind it. She let out a whimper out of terrifying surprise.

"Fuck..."

In the meantime, Brittany was watching by the window for when her very expected, future-girlfriend would arrive. She carefully scanned the cars slowing in front of her building, unaware Santana had already parked in another spot, and repeatedly checked her phone just in case. Brittany couldn't stop maliciously smirking, pleased with her own plan, every second passing by making her adrenaline rise.

Santana took a second to think about her options. For one, she could simply go and give her a peck, but wouldn't risk entering the apartment or she'd definitely end up more than late. Second, she could leave without delivering the donuts, lame but safe. Third, she could risk it all, attempt to soundlessly deliver it and escape.

Santana looked down at her shoes: given that she had been running late that morning, she'd chosen a pair she could walk quickly with. She could try to run, but that would make a lot of noise. She quietly took them off and opened the door. She crept like a cat, going along the wall without making a sound. As Brittany's door came closer, she decided not to go any further as it was too risky. She focused hard, held her breath and just slid the bag of donuts in front of the door. It stopped right in front, barely making a sound.

"_Yes!_" She congratulated almost whispering, hearable only to herself.

She tiptoed out barefoot, quickly got to the stairwell, put her shoes back on and hurried down the stairs trying to remain as quiet as possible despite her rush.

Brittany, who had been focused on the cars below, heard the footsteps in the stairwell. She looked through the open doorway and immediately saw the small bag in front of her door.

She ran.

"Santana!" Brittany yelled as she reached the stairwell, "Please!"

She hurried down the steps, two by two. She heard the brunette giggling, about one floor ahead of Brittany. She rushed desperately, almost crushing herself against the walls as she took each turn.

Santana couldn't contain her laughter. She ran as fast as she could through the hilarity. She just needed to reach the entrance and then she would easily hide amongst the street life. She had only one floor to get through and the race would be won.

"For Christ's sake, Santana!" Brittany kept pleading, yelling as she tore through the corridor.

Santana didn't listen, she kept running again and again, hoping this would be her master-stroke. She finally reached the building's entrance, the door only a few feet away. Suddenly, she felt Brittany grab her hand, forcefully twirling her out of the momentum. Her black hair flew in a graceful arc as two strong arms clenched her by the waist.

"You're not going anywhere!" Brittany said fiercely before crashing their lips together. Santana happily complied, it was just too good to feel her again. With all the urge they had, they kissed, their lips dancing - _craving _each other. "Come up with me..." Brittany assaulted her neck with kisses.

"I can't..." Santana sighed heavily, running her hand through Brittany's hair, eyes closed in pleasure.

"Call in sick..." Brittany let out through her worship of Santana's skin.

She pulled away to see better and found indecision on Santana's features. Her heart was obviously crushing as she debated how she could find some excuse to actually come up with her. Desperately, she crashed their mouths together again, hoping it would convince the brunette to come over to the dark side with her. Her tongue stroked the runaways lips and they parted right away. She held her by the hair, her hand playing with the black mass, pulling her forever closer so she wouldn't escape, ever again. She felt Santana slackening in their hold as they kept kissing deeply. Santana clung only by their lips, as if Brittany was breathing life into her heart, which, up until now, had been so sad and empty for so long. Santana could feel a resurgence of sweet feelings running through her veins, love making its way down her spine. Brittany slightly lifted Santana's blouse out of her skirt so she could stroke right under the soft skin of her back. Santana pulled her lips away, in what seemed like a very painful move.

"I have a meeting about me probably getting the head of my department... I really... fucking... can't..." She was shattered. She was grievously running out of time. Brittany stroked her higher, almost reaching her bra. "I can't be late!"

"Pretend a car crashed on the road, anything..." Brittany tried, already pushing Santana closer to the stairs.

"Brittany, Brittany... Hold on..." Santana pulled away, catching the blonde's face so she could have a chance to actually talk. "We just have to wait until tomorrow," She gave her a reassuring peck, "I promise I won't run away tomorrow." She softly said, a tender expression written all over her face.

Brittany stared at her, wondering how she could arrange their rendezvous any earlier than that. But no, Santana would be at work all day, obviously busy with too many important things to be disturbed. And of course, then Brittany would be stuck at the theatre and then the club. She wouldn't get home until really late, probably just a few hours before Santana would actually wake up for her workday. They were well and truly stuck until the next day.

"I just wished I could have you for me all day, that's all..." Brittany capitulated, shrugging sadly.

"Tomorrow, and all weekend if you want to, I'm all yours." She gave her a last, long, deep kiss, a sincere promise of marvelous times to come. Brittany released her hold and helped smooth Santana's blouse out. "I gotta go..." Brittany hugged her, more tender than ever.

"Go get that promotion..." She said smiling somewhat defeatedly.

Santana looked at her one last time, "No sooner said than done," she said as a goodbye, grinning as she headed out.

Brittany watched her go, skipping through the street and then disappearing. She stayed there for a while, dumbfounded and deep in thought. This girl really got to her, feelings were sprawling in her heart further each time she saw her. She was now certain that they'd have a wonderful story together.

A man cleared his voice, Brittany turned around. Tom, her floor mate and also friend, was standing there eating her donuts.

"Hey..."

"Nice show," he said in a naughty voice, waggling his eyebrows.

"You were creeping there all along?"

"Nope, I came in when you started to undress her in the middle of the hall," he said with a wink and a chuckle.

"You need to get yourself a life, Tom..." She shrugged, laughing as she went back up the stairs to her apartment. "Are you... Are you fucking eating the stuff she brought me?" She was astonished as she approached him.

"Don't leave it on your doormat then if you don't want people to help themselves..."

She snatched the bag full of donuts, "Moron!" she stuck her tongue out playfully.

"Hey Britt, guess what's happening tomorrow!" He shouted, gesturing with rude lew gestured to foreshadow Brittany having rough sex with her lady. Brittany laughed and headed up the stairs, rolling her eyes.


	8. Chapter 8

Santana giggled on that Friday morning while stuffing her toothbrush and spare underwear in her briefcase, just in case. There were vital things she needed in case of an impromptu getaway to Brittany's world for the weekend. She couldn't stop giggling, thinking of how very little clothes she'd need for the days to come. And anyway, she could borrow some if they ended up at Brittany's apartment instead of her's... if they wanted a break during their love marathon, forty-eight hours of endless cuddles and kisses - a much needed purge for the two weeks of longing desire that they had suffered through. Her briefcase had never been this sexy before, black lace lingerie mixed up among her folders. She smirked at the thought.

When she arrived at work, her thrilled and ecstatic heart welcomed the brand new day. This was the new life of Santana Lopez, the newly-appointed Human Resources Director who was probably in love with a soon-to-be girlfriend who happened to be the sheer definition of perfection. Air had never felt fresher in her lungs, sunshine had never felt so bright, and all she could think about was the countdown on her watch, 9pm sharp, the official time of her entrance into heaven.

She walked through the hallways glancing at her coworkers' gloomy expressions, her face lit up with pride and exaltation in stark contrast. She entered her new office, grinning like a kid as she took in the space that was about to house all of this awesome. She settled her briefcase by her new chair, took her favorite pens out of it, her laptop and her beloved notepad. She opened the notepad and ripped a sheet out of it, the sheet imprinted with the ghost of Brittany's drawing. With a smile, she stuffed it under her desk blotter. _Now _she was ready to live this life.

"Santana, grab your coffee. Quick meeting in 10, we've gotta balance the budget!" Her former supervisor, now her equal in the company hierarchy, said through the open door.

"Okay, I'm coming!" She looked for her phone and typed out a quick text.

_**To Brittany:** _

_Hey... Today better pass by fast, I'm longing to kiss you again. Can't text today, I'll be in a meeting all day. Can't keep my phone open either. I can't wait any longer, I just can't wait..._

In the meantime, Brittany was waking up in an empty bed. She looked around and stroked the material of the sheets. Tomorrow morning, perhaps even at the same hour, she fiercely hoped that Santana would be there, probably snuggling against her as a messy mass of black hair covering her pillows. Brittany buried her face in the mattress, chuckling. Her phone buzzed and her day seemed to brighten even more than before, just at the sight of Santana's name flashing on her phone. It was decided, she'd spend the whole day cleaning the loft, preparing it and herself. Brittany was determined to be at her most perfect for her date.

* * *

Santana's meeting had turned into an ordeal. The sun was sinking below the city line outside the large double-glazed windows and they weren't even near finished. All the directors from the company were to be stuck in this room until the budget was resolved. Considering the amount of work still unfinished, Santana felt stuck.

"If I understand correctly..." Santana closed her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her nose, taking a second to breathe a little and focus better, "... you gave me this position _yesterday_ so I can fix my predecessor's shit and you expected me to do all of it today?" Santana spat at all the directors around the table. Some of them seemed embarrassed. "Well? I mean, if my job hides a crappy plan, I'd rather have you be honest with me and tell me how far it goes."

"Well, your predecessor just didn't do his work and we need this budget tonight," one of the directors sighed.

"Tonight?!" Santana blurted. "You realize this is impossible, right? We need at least one more day!"

"This is already our second delay. We're stuck. It has to be tonight. The CEO had been very clear, he wants it by the 31st, a midnight deadline. Today's the 31st so yeah... tonight," he mumbled, eyes down.

"You've got to be kidding me. Why the fuck did you wait to hire me? How the hell did you believe I could assess a budget in ten hours?!" She growled, "You know what, it won't change anything. We have to find a way to finish it in three hours. Because I'm _out_ in three hours!"

"Hm, Santana..." Another director tried softly, "We were all pretty much counting on you to stay tonight with us and finish..."

Santana laughed harshly, incredulously, "This is not happening! I have important plans for tonight and I'm not going to cancel them to fix _your_ shit."

"But Santana, you don't have the choice. You have to stay. We need this tonight."

Santana sighed heavily, feeling the disappointment down to her bones. She couldn't cancel her date, she _couldn't_. She needed to see Brittany, every part of her needed her. That wasn't an option. "You do realize what you just did to me, how fucked up this plan is, don't you?... Maybe I can call the CEO and negotiate another delay."

"We already tried this morning. We're all stuck until it's finished." Another man stated coldly. She glared at him in retaliation.

She was well and truly stuck. Her heart quivered, she had to choose. Going on the date and possibly being demoted and failing the whole company, or cancelling her date and making Brittany - and herself - extremely sad. Her heart had already chosen, but her reason couldn't fail the company over a night of lovemaking. She took a second to think, scratching her forehead. "Can I at least have a ten-minute break? I need to cancel something."

"Yeah, of course. Everybody take ten and then we finish this shit."

Everybody left and Santana went straight to her office, looked for her phone and stared at it, blankly. She resolved to call Brittany, sighing with utter despair.

"_Hello gorgeous!"_ Brittany sang happily. The term of endearment sent chills down Santana's spine. It was their first call ever and already the sound of Brittany's voice over her cellphone was causing her mind to rush.

"Hey... Brittany, I have a bad news..." Santana announced gravely.

"_Are you alright? Has something happened to you?"_ Brittany was obviously, sincerely worried.

"No, I'm fine. But... I'll have to cancel tonight."

Both their hearts crumbled.

"_Oh..."_

"I'm so, so, _so_ sorry Brittany... They gave me this new job thinking I was some sort of a supergirl, and I have to stay here until I resolve a situation. I have a deadline that I can't delay and the whole company is pretty much counting on me..."

She heard Brittany breathing sadly, _"I understand. But will I see you tomorrow? I don't work tomorrow either so if you don't have to work, we still could... you know... "_

"I'll come at your house as soon as I wake up, I promise. I have a deadline at midnight so I'm all yours tomorrow."

"_Okay, great."_ Santana heard Brittany trying to smile over the line, barely enlightening her disappointed and cold tone.

Someone gestured to Santana to come back so they could start again. "Brittany, I gotta go kill the beast," she kidded gently, trying to end the conversation on a light note. "I'll miss you, sweetheart..."

"_Yeah, have fun Santana, see ya."_ Brittany hung up in a hurry.

Santana stared at her phone, perplexed. Of course she had guessed Brittany would be disappointed. But she wasn't expecting her to be so cold, so distant over the line. She had expected some understanding but now Santana wasn't sure if she'd find the same Brittany she knew tomorrow. She waited there for awhile, hoping a text would appear saying "Sorry, I was just really disappointed", "I'll miss you tonight", or _something _along those lines, but nothing came within the next minutes. Defeated, Santana left for the conference room.

* * *

At quarter past midnight, Santana exited the building with the rest of her coworkers, all of them thoroughly exhausted. They enjoyed a little break, some smoking, some standing against the wind and letting it cool them down. They relieved the pressure, joked a bit, congratulated themselves at having managed - with a whole lot of effort - to actually close this case in something like ten minutes before the deadline. All of them could now enjoy a very well deserved weekend.

Santana turned her phone on and desperately hoped a text would pop up. Nothing. She sighed discreetly still amongst her co-workers.

"Santana, I think I'm headed your way. Do you want a ride?" A co-worker asked, bringing her back from her reverie.

"Thanks, but it's okay. I have my car in the parking lot," She yawned. "God, I'm exhausted. I'm going now. Guys, enjoy your weekend 'cause my revenge will be pitiless on Monday!" She warned them, only barely joking and they all laughed nervously. Everything had ended well but it didn't erase the fact they all had dismally stuck her in a less than favourable position and they would all pay for her aborted date. "Bye!" She shouted, already on her way toward her car.

She kept yawning and stretched her back, hearing a satisfying click as her bones popped back into place. It had been an insane sixteen hour-long workday. She rubbed at her eyes, figuring her mascara was probably ruined anyway.

She looked like a ghost carrying her briefcase with useless lingerie in it, each of her steps sliding on the ground with a tired sound. She searched for her phone in her blazer with only a moment's hesitancy. Should she send Brittany a text? A "Finally out, on my last legs, thinking of you..." kind of text, sweet enough to make up for everything, or at least try to. Too exhausted, she decided not to push it for tonight. She'd just go home, collapse on her bed and get her beauty sleep to meet her sweetheart the next morning. That sounded like a good plan. She had no strength to prove to Brittany how much she cared right now. She just needed a bed, to sleep in and only sleep.

She kept walking along the building, lined by a road. As she walked, eyes down, tired and already feeling the heavy onset of sleep, she felt someone watching her somewhere. She figured her exhaustion was probably deceiving her and just kept walking, hurrying her steps nevertheless. A car seemed to be driving up behind her from what she could hear and she held her briefcase closer. She hated finishing work so late. There were always creepy guys around, offering her rides or following her for a few meters. She really hated that, but luckily the building's parking lot was near. The car seemed to adjust to Santana's pace.

"If you want my opinion, I'm pretty sure your meeting sucked," Brittany said in a playful voice through the open window of her car. Santana turned around so fast she almost tripped. She immediately regained some energy, the hole in her chest created by their miscarried date, refilled with joy.

She grinned, dazed, "You have no idea..."

Brittany sped up a bit and parked a few feet away.

"Cinderella's carriage..." Brittany bowed with a flourish as she stepped out of her car, making the brunette chuckle. Santana scurried forward and felt her own face lightening up. Brittany definitely was her sunshine. She didn't need anything when the blonde was around. Santana almost threw herself in Brittany's open arms, desperately in need of a hug after such a bad day, letting her briefcase fall to the ground. "Hey..."

"I'm so sorry about tonight," She cuddled against her. "I thought you were mad at me..."

There was no game, no teasing anymore. Just the two of them after a bad day. Brittany lovingly cuddling Santana, an otherwise random event in a couple's life, yet it was their very first, and it was beautiful. Against Brittany's chest, Santana felt some energy kicking in. Her perfume was so reassuring, the hand stroking her hair so soft. She pulled away a little, to give her the lightest, sweetest kiss she could. Brittany grabbed the end of her chin with delicate fingers, and graced the tired lips with a few more.

"Don't worry about me. I like having a supergirl as girlfriend," she breathed softly against Santana's lips.

Santana smiled even more widely at the admission. It was now official, she had a girlfriend. A girlfriend worried enough to wait for her in the middle of the night. A girlfriend willing to stroke her hair and cuddle her after a long and tiring day. This sounded almost too good to be true. She suddenly felt as light as a butterfly on a sunny day.

"I know you probably only want your bed right now but... what if you came home with me? I'll cuddle you to sleep..." Brittany cooed and intertwined their fingers playfully, "I could lend you pajamas and we can save the gift unwrapping for tomorrow...?"

Santana hesitated. It sounded indeed very tempting. But her car was waiting in the parking lot and she was pretty sure that once she laid down, it would take about two seconds for her to pass out. Actually, she _could _be tempted to make love to Brittany. But she couldn't be sure of remaining awake long enough to satisfy her girlfriend, and as a result, it would be the worst first time ever. She wanted better than that. They deserved better than that.

She snuggled even more closely, "Brittany, I'm really tired. I'm probably just gonna pass out like in five seconds or something..."

"I can hold you all night and then all day long... Plus you won't have to drive while you're so tired..." Brittany negotiated with her best smile. It was really moving to see her fight to spend time with her like that, even just to spend those five minutes together before Santana actually collapsed out of exhaustion. "Please?"

Santana bit her lip, staring at her new girlfriend. "Okay then," Santana whispered. Her reason could go to hell. After all, she had what she needed in her briefcase and it wouldn't make a huge difference to be at Brittany's instead of her own apartment. And perhaps she'd even sleep better in the blonde's arms. "But left side is mine!"

"Never meant it any other way..." Brittany let out happily, feeling beyond blessed and already grabbing Santana's briefcase and walking her to the passenger seat. Santana followed giddily, more whipped than ever.

Brittany started the car with a wide grin as Santana made herself comfortable.

"Did they let you eat something at least, or it was a whole non-stop day?" Brittany inquired randomly.

Santana stared at Brittany's silhouette as they drove, realizing that she would never grow tired of Brittany caring about her, a tired smile stuck on her face. "I only had a coffee, I believe," she sighed.

"Look in this box then. I made something for you." Brittany winked, gesturing for her to check out a small box perched precariously on the dashboard.

It was a tantalizing piece of chocolate cake.

"Oh my god, you're such a sweetheart... I'm so hungry! Thank you..." She started to devour it, foregoing formality and human syllables. "Huh, this is so good! Since when do you cook that well?"

Brittany giggled, her eyes fixed on the road. "You don't even know one percent of me yet." She let Santana finish her cake peacefully, which quickly disappeared, considering how hungry she was. With a brief pause, Santana gave her a kiss to thank her.

"You're right, it _does_ taste good," the blonde commented jokingly, chocolate flavour still sticking to her lips.

Santana rested her head on Brittany's shoulder as she drove. The blonde peeked at her every once in a while. She stroked her thigh quietly. Santana realized it would have actually been pretty stupid to refuse Brittany's invitation. She felt so good here, against her, Brittany's breathing echoing in her ears like the sweetest of sounds.

"So now you're a very powerful woman?" Brittany said, fearing Santana might be rocked to sleep by the car's vibrations.

"Seems so. I fucking saved their asses today." Santana laughed. She raised her lips and kissed Brittany's neck lazily, "But now it's all about you..."

Brittany tilted her head, sweetly tickled by the affection. Santana kept kissing, actually caught at her own game. She seemed to power through, their attraction too fierce to fall under her exhaustion. Her lips gripped Brittany's earlobe, marvelous sounds ringing in the blonde's ear. She tilted her head even more, breathing calmly, trying not to get turned on as her resolution to simply cuddle her that night became seriously challenged.

The blonde focused on the road. They were already only halfway to her apartment. Dark circles around Santana's eyes had made it clear that the brunette was exhausted. She didn't understand why Santana was actually still playing this way. The brunette stroked higher up on her thigh, more intensively. Brittany pulled away a little when she reached a stop on the road, and looked at Santana closely. She found a smirk drawn over her lips, her face livened up and awakened by the opportunity to play while the blonde was driving.

"If you keep going like that, I doubt I'll let you sleep, sweetie..."

Santana rubbed higher, short nails scratching the material of Brittany's jeans while she almost bit her ear. Brittany clenched Santana's wandering hand between her own tensed thighs. She started the car again when the traffic light turned green, very aware that from now on Santana would have no qualms about taking advantage of her. She took one of her hands off the wheel to stroke Santana back.

She bit her earlobe again.

"I mean it..." Brittany admitted with a smirk.

The spell Santana was under when Brittany was around seemed to grow stronger each time they saw each other and again, it hadn't failed. As she kept kissing, biting, stroking, Santana's exhaustion seemed to vanish, little by little. She closed her eyes and all she could think of, all she needed, was Brittany. Feel her in every way and love her in every way. Smirking, Santana pulled Brittany's shirt to caress the soft toned stomach. She let only one finger travel up, catching at Brittany's bra, right between her breasts. Brittany peeked at the brunette again, and saw her licking her upper lip with a playful look.

Brittany giggled, eyes back on the road. "If you think you can turn me on and then pass out, you're fooling yourself, Santana."

"Would I be punished?" Santana whispered back, a sultry voice in the crook of Brittany's neck. "'Cause if you're intending on confining me to your house, it just doesn't sound like a punishment to me..."

"I... hm." Brittany was taken aback by Santana's sudden strike of confidence. They finally arrived at the building and she turned into the private parking lot under it. Without a single word spoken, she looked for her space while Santana couldn't stop kissing her neck. They both tried to grab the briefcase on the backseat at the same time when Brittany parked, ending up incredibly close, so close Brittany could feel Santana breathe on her skin. "Let me carry it for you..."

With a smirk, Santana pulled away and climbed out of the car. Brittany braced herself: Santana had miserably broken her plan to take care of her. It bugged her to lose control of the situation like that.

The brunette hurriedly skipped to the stairwell taking some advance and rested against the wall, biting her lip. She took her jacket off.

"It would be bad if I passed out on your bed right after I enter your apartment, wouldn't it?" Santana giggled. Brittany stopped walking, a few meters away, challenging her to show how much further she would go. "Like, if I undress and then bam! Kidnapped by Morpheus, naked on your sheets. Bad, _really _bad..." Brittany came closer and opened the door, passing a few inches away from Santana. "Would you manage to sleep with me like that laying down next to you?"

'Oh... but I know very well how to avoid that, sweetheart," she stated confidently, already going up the stairs as Santana followed, a few steps behind.

Santana hurried after her, "How's that?"

Brittany turned around all of a sudden and wedged Santana against the wall with her only free hand. The brunette expected a sexy, rough kiss, but what she received instead was the most tender kiss she'd ever experienced. "You'll know soon enough..." Brittany breathed out.

She faked laziness and headed up again, determined not to let the brunette know too much about the power she had over her. She kept going but heard no sound from Santana down the stairs. She smirked, unruffled and reached the building's ground floor. She peeked back, Santana was hidden somewhere out of her sight. She chuckled and started to head to the first floor.

Within the next minute, she heard small and quick steps following her. Her smile grew wider, thinking how Santana would possibly take her revenge over her small teasing comment. She heard Santana coming closer, probably taking the steps two by two, her heels clicking on the ground rhythmically. She felt something fall on her shoulder.

"The question is, will _you_ be fast enough?" Santana whispered, laughing as she passed by Brittany, striding up the stairs. Brittany blinked and grabbed at what had fallen on her shoulder, some soft material. She couldn't hold her laugh when she realized it actually was Santana's panties.

"Santana, you just didn't-... Oh God. You are in trouble, girl!" She shouted, stuffing the piece of clothing in her back pocket. She chased her and caught her by the second floor. She pinned her against the wall, her knee right between her thighs. Santana bit her lip, and looked up at her girlfriend beneath heavy eyelids. "What do you think you're doing?" Brittany purred.

The brunette wriggled, trying to get the closest position she could have against Brittany. "Speeding up foreplay," she answered, black eyes staring back. She slid her hands under the blonde's shirt, stroked her back and scratched it down and again to show her how fiercely she wanted her. She wanted her like there was no tomorrow.

"I see..." Brittany slid her free hand along the brunette's already moist thigh, higher than ever before, and stopped right before reaching her burning core. Santana arched her back and grasped Brittany strongly. She stole her breath with a passionate kiss, that grew deeper and deeper as the minutes went by. Brittany let the briefcase fall to the ground and grazed her girlfriend's smooth skin with delicate fingers. She felt a leg clenching around her waist. Santana moaned.

A door on the floor above slammed. Somebody was coming down the stairs.

"Shit!" Santana pulled her dress down as Brittany swiped the briefcase off the floor and firmly took her hand. "Hurry!" Brittany whispered.

Santana stopped short and forcefully pulled her closer, kissing her fiercely again. She sensually moved against Brittany's body, trapping her girlfriend in their previous position and starting a lovely rhythm. The steps were coming closer. Their pace started naturally, a soft balance that fit them both. Santana shyly slid her hand toward the fastening of Brittany's jeans. The footsteps were close now, just around the corner from where they were. Brittany pulled away and insisted with big eyes for Santana to follow her lead.

It was Tom coming down the stairs, his mind in another drunk world as Brittany pulled Santana strongly to her side by intertwining their fingers in a firm hold.

"Hey Bri- Hey, hey, hey it's Friday's date..." Tom commented jokingly.

Brittany didn't even look up, rushing passed him and carrying her girlfriend away with her. As they finally reached the third floor, Santana went first and grabbed Brittany's shirt so the blonde would follow her. She rested against the door while the blonde searched for her keys, and decided in the meantime to pursue her ministrations. She ran her fingers through the blonde's hair and stroked her back with the other. Brittany hurried, biting back a whimper, a trembling hand forcing the door open.

Santana bit her ear again. "Fuck..."

Brittany pushed her in, a grin cutting her face in two. She threw the briefcase and her keys on the ground, ripped her coat off and went to hold her lover again. Santana barely had time to find somewhere to dump her own jacket before Brittany had literally lifted her up by the rear, forcing her to clench her legs around her so she wouldn't fall. She slammed the door closed with her foot and pushed Santana against it. Strongly embraced, she lifted Santana's dress up around her waist as she assaulted the brunette's neckline with wet kisses. Her chest began to rise and fall with growing, mad breaths.

Santana desperately needed her. Even up against the cold wooden door she felt so safe, strongly held by her lover. She couldn't have cared less about a bed to be laid onto, all she wanted was to feel Brittany in every way, feel her right here, right now. She zipped her own dress down on the side, to help Brittany discard the rather annoying amount of clothing on her breasts.

Brittany jumped on the chance and licked what felt like two cushions of tenderness before kissing them again. Naturally, they started their soft pace again, swaying along with Santana's tensing and relaxing thighs. Santana pulled the blonde's shirt up.

"Take it off..." She let out heatedly. Brittany looked around, her bed was way too far away and they had no time for foreplay anymore. Their attraction was devastating everything already. She looked around the room and caught sight of what would be a very convenient desk.

"Hold on..." She clasped her ever harder and carried her to it.

Santana held onto her, beyond turned on by the show of strength, her pending arousal already beating down on her core. Brittany set her down, swiping all the papers on her desk away with one fierce move. Brittany took off her shirt in a hurry, as Santana pushed her dress down to her waist. It was too tight anyway to try getting ridding of it right now. They crashed their lips together, dancing tongues deeply sharing tenderness, taking their bras off with pained moans.

They had probably both dreamed about a sweet first time, gazing at one another before taking the dive. But right now they both felt their blood boiling in their veins, confirmation that _any _kind of first time would be beyond perfection anyway. Their hearts felt too small to deal with their fantasies. They had chased each other for so long, two very long weeks of foreplay that dashed any hope of re enacting some love scene from a movies. They had this urge to finally meet in the intimacy, a pending desire they had longed for way too long.

Brittany spread Santana's legs wider, stroking the soft skin gracefully despite the urge building up inside her. In response, Santana slipped closer. She just needed her already. Santana teasingly scratched Brittany's collarbone and her breasts. Brittany pulled away from their kiss for a second, wanting to look at Santana right in the eye when she started to rub lazily the place which was craving for her. Santana stared back, two black diamonds begging for more, faster, deeper already. A moist hand started to caress her breast, in rhythm with the slow pace of the strokes Brittany was making, as another pulled her closer by the back, short nails digging in the skin.

Santana moved her hips a little faster than necessary, encouraging the blonde to stop teasing for her own sake. A huge smirk appeared on the blonde's lips. Santana pleaded, moaning, swaying to show Brittany what the perfect pace would look like to relieve her no longer bearable craving. She grabbed her face and pulled her into a very sensual, deep, long kiss that sent shivers down Brittany's spine.

The blonde barely rubbed faster. She was pretty determined to make her lover discover new wild feelings of pleasure to tame. It was her last opportunity to tease, the last thing she could do to seal the deal of their love with a groundbreaking, languished orgasm. A first meeting in paradise that would influence their entire relationship. She had only one chance, one fragile and tiny chance to send Santana to the highest heights she could for their first time. She slid a fakingly shy finger through the folds which were getting wetter and wetter, and barely stroked harder.

It was obvious the blonde was playing. Santana kept swaying along, kissing and stroking the blonde's cheeks. Her whole body was on fire. Her exhaustion was a distant memory, the warmth radiating from her body had sent it to oblivion. The waves of pleasure kept flowing in, but she felt insanely frustrated. She was dying to feel the explosion take her over completely, body and soul. She wanted to collapse in her lover's arms and lazily let her orgasm fade away by kissing those soft lips. She viscerally needed it, her desperate want pulsating faster and louder in her sweet spot where Brittany's fingers were stroking. Brittany had to let her escape this limbo, and she had to do it now.

She grabbed the back of her head, intertwined her fingers with the mass of blonde hair making them meet, forehead against forehead. She licked her lips, pushing on Brittany's rear with her heels to make sure she would stare deep in her eyes, "Fuck me hard."

Brittany had expected her to beg, but not these black determined eyes exhilarating her mind with sharp words. She had just met Santana's fierce inner self; the one she had always guessed lay beyond the shyness, the one she had craved to make love to; unable to find her, anywhere. Three simple words had drowned Brittany under a huge wave of warmth. She kept staring at those trembling lips, animated by harsh breaths, which had let out so much sexiness in so little time.

She stopped her previous ministrations and held her by the rear, pulled her close to the desk edge. Holding Brittany by the neck, the only place left to cling onto to get some balance, Santana positioned herself in the perfect way to make her wildest dream come true. A firm hand spread her thighs even wider as the other maintained her and kept her hips from moving. She felt another strike of arousal flowing over. Brittany taking control just drove her crazy.

As Brittany slid two fingers in, she witnessed Santana's expression changing into something beyond pleasure, eyes shut and frowning, cheeks flushing purple and jaw slackening. She felt Santana pulling her head closer with the grip on her hair, then nails scratching her neck and going down on her bare back. She started a slow yet delightful pace, slow enough to keep her boiling, but not fast enough to make her reach ecstasy. The perfect pace was confirmed by the way Santana kept swaying to get a deeper contact and looked for her lips to be kissed until their mouths would end up swollen.

"Brittany..." Santana let out, urging her to quicken her pace or she'd be in serious trouble. Brittany complied what felt like ages after. She rubbed against Santana's sweet spot, the one that'd make her see stars. "Gosh yes... _Yes_..." Heels on the desk edge tried to get something to hold onto, so she could tense her muscles and actually ride what she hoped to be the upcoming relief. She curled up against Brittany, held her by the back and scratched her so hard when Brittany slid a third finger to grant her a well deserved relief. "Fuck...!"

These scratches would last for days. Brittany loved them already, grinning delightedly. She gazed at the brunette's face, contorted by rapture, the sweetest thing she had ever seen. She peeked down, her hand disappearing in and out faster, ravishing wet sounds reaching her ears as she felt her fingers drown in a pending orgasm.

Her own pleasure was striking her down, her arms muscles scalded by the effort of a more and more erratic pace, her heart buried under a growing love. She knew she'd probably follow Santana once she'd come undone, she trusted neither her heart nor her wildest desires to remain untouched by her lover's orgasmic expression. She felt walls clenching around her fingers as Santana's moans became louder quickly followed by her own. Muscles kept tensing and relaxing around her fingers, harder than before, longer than before.

The desk kept hitting against the wall, the pace dragging the furniture into their frenzy. Santana tried but couldn't keep her moans from getting louder and reaching decibels she didn't know she could. She grasped Brittany's back harder as she let her hips sway in wider circles. It was right there, it was pending, right about to crash over her. She held on to make the moment last a little longer, unable to control neither her breaths nor her inner muscles.

Brittany kept intensifying the pushes, "Let it go..." she whispered right against her lips in her softest voice. Santana grabbed them out of sweet despair as her heels lost the grip over the desk edge, confirmation that Santana was just about to lose it. Brittany curled her fingers, making her lover tilt her head back with a few high pitched moans. A long olive-skinned neck was offered to be kissed which Brittany did with a full heart about to burst.

"Fuck Brittany! Oh f-...!" Brittany pushed harder, the desk hitting the wall in loud noises. "_Fuck!_"

She let go of the hand maintaining her by the ass all along, grabbing the back of her neck. She wanted to drink her relief right on her lips, she wanted their mouths to depend on each other to ride their orgasms, her own flowing over and growing deeper as Santana kept moaning right against her own lips. She wondered at the power she had on her, the cries and the liquid love in which her fingers were swimming in... and it made her come undone. Santana's thighs exploded trembling as her enraged breath turned into cries from her deepest pleasure. Letting it go too, Brittany collapsed on her.

Breathing together, none of them had enough strength for a light caress, not even for a single stroke or kiss. They had consumed all the energy they had; Brittany washed-up by her effort and the official end of their loving race, Santana's exhaustion crashing over her like a waterfall as the trance she was in faded away. They kept breathing against each other, Brittany's head against the brunette's chest, her hand still enjoying the last pulsations from her inner walls.

Brittany was the first to power through, lazily starting to kiss her lover's damp neck. She pulled her hand out softly, which made Santana tremble erratically and moan one last time. She rested her hand right on her lover's thigh, a soaking wet hand that assured Santana her breathtaking orgasm had in fact been real. Brittany's kisses travelled to her mouth, and she barely had enough strength to reciprocate. She gazed at her, black eyes had disappeared under frowning closed eyelids. Eyes, she was sure, she wouldn't see until the next was already on her way to wonderful dreams.

She smiled at her almost sleeping beauty, stroking her sweet perfect face. Her face fell a little in her hand, all knocked out. Brittany chuckled lovingly.

"Come on, come with me..." She whispered, holding her up to carry her to the bed.

Good thing Brittany was the strong one because Santana didn't help her at all, barely holding onto her neck as she walked through the loft. She let her fall on the bed, making sure her head wouldn't hit the mattress too fast or hard. She carefully set her down, opening the sheets and tried to get rid of her dress which had shriveled up around her waist.

"Raise your hips, sweetheart. Let me take this off..." Santana complied, yawning with her eyes shut tight. "You want a shirt to sleep in or-" Santana had already turned around and buried her face in the pillows, offering a gratuitous picture of her perfect bare body on Brittany's bed.

Brittany giggled at her lover's cute behavior as she smoothed Santana's dress and put it on a chair. She got rid of her own pants, piece of clothing they hadn't even had time to get off considering how excruciating their desire to hurriedly make love had been. She softly pushed Santana on the left side and spooned her, lazily kissing her shoulder. Santana's breathing clearly indicated she was already very far away, and Brittany cracked a smile.


	9. Chapter 9

"Mercedes, two Vodkas, three beers and one Martini for table four!" Brittany yelled through the club's crowd. Mercedes nodded with a wink.

Taking her time, Brittany wandered through the crowd and came back to the bar, taking a seat and staring at nothing.

"You alright, girl?" Mercedes asked, worried at Brittany's unusual behavior.

She was always so cheerful and enthusiastic, now she only seemed tired and slow. Brittany simply nodded.

"You sure? Let me know if you need a break or something."

"Yeah, I'm sure! I feel awesome." Brittany chuckled. She took the tray Mercedes had just set with the order, and she left like a ghost.

Mercedes watched her, skeptical, with the firm intention to grill the blonde once she'd have a little down time. Once the blonde came back, she put a beer on the counter for Brittany, demanding for her to take a seat.

"Okay, you look sad and away. Sit and spill it," she demanded.

"But there's nothing to spill!" Brittany laughed, "Really, I'm fine! it's just that I have to wait until Friday to see my girlfriend. I miss her already," she admitted with a cute smile as she took a sip.

"Since when you have a girlfriend?" Mercedes started. Brittany was indeed quite a mysterious person, but it was shocking that the blonde hadn't shared such an important news.

Brittany laughed at her friend's dumbfounded expression, "Chillax, it's only been a few days! It happened Friday night. We spent all weekend together, it was... amazing." Mercedes noticed the growing blush on the blonde's cheeks despite the club darkness. "I'm just a little sad 'cause we can't see each other any time else than weekends."

"Why's that? Tell me more about her!"

Brittany sweetly chuckled, she just didn't know where to begin to describe how gorgeous Santana was, body and soul.

"She's one of a kind." Brittany stared blankly at the void, a soft grin stuck to her lips.

One could easily tell Brittany was on her way to being in love, considering how pensive she had been all night, the way her eyes wandered over things without assimilating them. She was far away, picturing herself in some other arms.

"Come on baby girl, tell me more! How is she? What does she look like? I need my gossip!" Her friend laughed.

"Brunette, short, full of energy... Simple yet sophisticated, gorgeous yet natural... She's..." Brittany chuckled. She remembered so well Santana laying on her bed, her perfect body and her sweet smile that hadn't deserted her lips for the whole weekend. She remembered the playful looks at breakfast, their fight over who should shower first, what Brittany had resolved thanks to a genius strike, going green and showering together. She remembered all these little things that had made their weekend a sheer fantasy, the perfect balance of fun and caring, jokes and love, dream and reality. "I'll try to bring her over one day, so you can meet her."

"You better, little sneak!"

"So yeah, I gotta wait for Friday to see her again and it's barely Wednesday." She sighed. "Our schedules are like... oil and water. She basically wakes up for her workday when I'm finishing mine-"

"_Tha_t's a bummer. What are you gonna do?"

"Tell me about it... I don't know. See how it goes first, and then maybe adapt my schedule, I guess... But we're not there just yet. I just miss her. It's sweet to miss someone for once." She gave Mercedes her sweetest smile. 'It's good to feel this way again."

"Like, to feel in love?" Mercedes teased.

"Can one know after only one weekend together?" She winked.

"True that-" Someone called for refills. Brittany stood up.

"Britt, just go home. I can finish on my own for tonight." She told her friend with a wink.

"No, no, I'm stay-"

"Go home, okay? Everybody's starting to leave anyway. Out, girl!" She commanded playfully.

Sighing happily, Brittany went to grab her stuff behind the bar, hugged her friend goodbye and left.

* * *

On her way back home, Brittany drove letting her mind wander on her girlfriend. She had only one more night alone. But Thursday nights had never been so painful before. She knew that tomorrow night she would wait for her lover to walk out in front of her office, way too thrilled to wait even two extra-hours, the time Santana would need to come back home and get ready for a date. Brittany couldn't care less if Santana's dress was all creased after a long working day or if her makeup had a little faded away. She only wanted to be with her, desperately, and whether Santana would like it or not, she would wait in front of her office to fetch her, just like she had done the week before. Besides, she was absolutely convinced Santana longed for her to do it.

She climbed the stairs of her building two by two when she finally arrived. It was almost five in the morning and she was dying to lay down, her legs tired from her shift at the club. Just like the past days, she would wait for sleep to come thinking of her sweetheart, her every curve and her every smile haunting her thoughts, what promised her a night full of wonderful dreams. She kept holding on the banister as her legs took the steps, all smiles, completely enamoured. As she opened her door, she sighed, happy to be finally home.

Before she could reach the switch, Santana had already turned the lights on.

"Hello sweetheart."

Brittany turned in a hurry to find Santana slowly standing up from a chair, a large coat on and a bag at her feet. She gazed for a second, she was just so gorgeous with her classy trench coat covering her whole body, with only the bottom of her legs and her nice pumps left to see. There was no exhaustion at all on her features despite the hour, Santana seemed so fresh, as if she had just arrived.

"Santana? What are you doing here, I mean you-"

"I took a couple of days off." Santana gave her bag a little tap with her foot, winking to Brittany. "Your friend Tom let me in."

The blonde realized Santana was determined not to leave their very own dreamland for the few days to come. Considering the size of the bag, it was obvious Santana had packed a lot of clothes, probably a few pairs of shoes, maybe even some books... The idea of Santana moving in had crossed Brittany's mind. Even if it was for a long weekend, she pictured Santana starting to leave some of her stuff at her house and her heart melted.

Santana started to walk toward her, all cute with her large grin and hands stuffed in her front pockets. Her pumps drummed on the floor and made her hips sway into a sexy walk. Softly, she gave her a light kiss before helping her girlfriend from behind taking her coat off.

"It's my turn to take care of you after a workday," she whispered in the crook her Brittany's neck, granting it a few kisses.

Brittany chuckled giddily, "How long have you been waiting? It's almost five-"

Santana turned around in a hurry and kissed her, acknowledging her it was none of her business. She started to untie Brittany's scarf.

"How was your day?" Santana resumed the conversation as she made the scarf slide from her neck so softly before putting it away.

"I missed you. A lot."

Santana cracked a larger smile, "I missed you too," she let out in a whisper before tapping playfully with her fingertips on Brittany's pants' fastening.

Brittany looked up and understood she'd better undress soon as black eyes stared back. Not that she'd complain, not at all. She kicked her shoes off and grabbed the brunette's hand to lead them to the bed. On their way, Brittany undid her pants and let them fall on the ground in one slick move, winking at Santana who was following. She took her top off, letting it fall just as casually.

"Sit," Santana let out as they reached the bed.

Thrilled to know what Santana had in mind, Brittany obeyed within a second. She took a comfortable position on the bed, crossed her legs, waiting.

"Close your eyes. And don't cheat." she whispered. With a huge grin on her face, Brittany did, letting a finger play with her lips, delighted.

She heard Santana's coat fall to the ground with an ethereal sound, and felt Santana's hands stroking on her bare thighs.

"When can I open?" Brittany asked, caught in the game.

"Not just yet." She heard Santana say right against her ear, her hair tickling her shoulder. She started to breathe deeper, adrenaline rushing in. She felt light fingers unfolding her legs and Santana stepping in between out of her pumps sounds and the warmth she felt around her skin.

"I really wish I could open them, though," she teased.

"You're allowed to touch but you can't look..." Santana said in a sultry voice against her ear.

"I can touch?" She wondered out loud, debating where she would start.

"Uh huh." Santana put her hands on each of Brittany's shoulders to show her where she was standing and let her wander on her.

Brittany seized the help and stroked along Santana's arms, following a sweet and slow path on her body. She was thrilled to discover what Santana had set for her but in the meantime, she wanted to enjoy the moment and take all the pleasure she could without rushing. When she reached her shoulders, she lovingly stroked her jaw before addressing her back.

"You're..." She let her fingers wander on her shoulder blades, bare skin offered to be touched whereas Brittany expected to find bra straps.

"No." Santana let out, happy to see Brittany wonder just the way she wanted.

Brittany moved her hands on her collarbones, determined to find what treasure Santana had hidden, tickling her lover's body with the sweetest and tenderest fingers. She travelled on her breasts' valley and met some lace. She tentatively stroked it.

"Is that a corset?" Her grin grew even larger, definitely caught in the game.

"No."

"Hm..." Brittany wondered out loud. She let her fingers travel all around to find out what it was, biting her lips. She quickly found the bra's fastening and smirked trying to take it off.

Santana slapped at her hand softly, "You're not allowed to take anything off."

The blonde giggled, highly amused. "What did I do to deserve my Christmas present earlier this year..." She joked before going back to her discovery.

She made her way down Santana's spine, and lingered on her curves, taking them in. The beauty of the shape hit her, how long and smooth Santana was. For a second, touching her felt like sculpting, the perfect shape of a woman under her fingertips. Her artist's hands couldn't get enough, it was sheer art to feel her this way. She stroked her way up just to be able to go down again, lost in pleasure, enjoying her curves as only an artist feeling his masterpiece could do. She let out a soft moan when her hands stroked where Santana's ribcage met her hips, heaven sent curves.

Her fingertips met the matching lace. She let out another moan, delighted.

"So here's the bottom..." Brittany smirked as her hands followed the lace covering her hips. "Black?" Brittany inquired as she tried to picture in her mind what she was touching.

"No."

"What color then?"

Brittany met silence, she wasn't going to reveal anything. She grabbed her rear and pushed her closer so she could kiss her stomach and rest her head against after. Hands against her cheeks, she stroked the lace, soft sheet covering the most mellow place of her whole body. She wandered, met garters.

"Santana..." She almost pleaded.

She pushed her even closer, stroking with her nose and putting more kisses against the toned stomach, rising and falling more and more as Santana's breathing came heavier. She followed the garters and went down her thighs. She stroked the smooth material of her stockings flattering her perfectly shaped thighs.

Her lover nailed it in one. Touching was so important for Brittany. Making love wasn't about performance in her opinion and Santana had sensed this so strongly each time she had made her raise the highest levels of rapture. It was art for her, Brittany always touched her like a treasure, as if all her inspiration was kicking in each time she had let her hands wander on her. And again, the way she caressed her and the way her eyes were frowning in delight made very clear on how good it was for her.

"Can I look? Please..."

Santana didn't reply but softly pushed her shoulders to show her she should lay down. Brittany took a comfy position as she felt Santana, following, lead her higher in the bed. Once her head was resting on the pillows on the most pleasant position, she felt her hair tickling its way down on her.

"Please..."

"No."

Silence kept filling the room as Brittany felt hotter and hotter. Shy fingers tickled her lower stomach, one slid under the material of her panties.

"Lift up," Santana whispered, needing some help to take it off.

In a whimpering breath, Brittany raised her hips as her sweetheart made the cloth slide along lifting her legs over what seemed like a shoulder. She imagined the scene in her mind, trying to compose the matching delighting pictures of what was happening. She imagined Santana staring back, scrutinizing her every reaction. She imagined her stretching her own leg by her shoulder, about to kiss her way down. She couldn't help but moan when she felt luscious lips grant her ankle some wet kisses and start a path down.

Santana smirked throughout, leaving small kisses on the tensing muscles. She grabbed stroking the leg and made it rest on her shoulder as she went dangerously low. She took her time, enjoying every kiss as if it was the last. Moans came to her ears as she reached the top of her thigh, the last area to kiss before actually really taking care of Brittany. Hands came fast running through her hair, hurrying her closer. Softly chuckling, she grabbed Brittany's hips and lowered her a bit, giving the blonde a hint that she wasn't going to keep her hanging on. She blew warm air on her sweet spot and waited from Brittany's reaction looking up. A huge smile grew.

"Such a tease you are, milady..." Brittany let out, so very pleased.

She blew again and barely caressed with her tongue as she strengthened her hold over her hips. Firm fingers grabbed the back of her hair, she smirked at her slightly frustrated girlfriend. She licked, allowing Brittany to finally moan louder. She maintained her stomach still with a strong hand, sprinkled a few kisses here and there before her tongue started a slow, soft, tender pace on her sweet spot.

Unable to stand it anymore, Brittany threw the game's rules out and peeked down. The sight was to die for. Her hair was like a black river flowing on her own hip and down her girlfriend's shoulder, what lead to her graceful rear, sublimated by a red lace garter belt that flattered her olive skin as any other color could have. She gazed at the garters marvelously following her cheeks' curves, all round, all smooth. It was so perfect one could have easily believed it was Santana's inner calling to wear such attractive lingerie. Santana went to take a comfy position between her thighs, she folded her legs up slightly swaying in the air, slender legs crowned with sexy pumps.

There she was, _her_ girlfriend, some sort of mouthwatering creature unrolling a red lace carpet into paradise, just for her. A goddess whose soft head movements matched the strokes her bundle of nerves were enjoying. A succubus whose lips were like an ode to smoothness around her sweet spot. The sight suddenly drown her under a huge wave of heat, exhilarating every part of her body, of her soul.

"Oh Santana..." She hurried to push away the locks covering Santana's eyes. She wanted to see, all of it. When mocha eyes stared back, she almost lost it. "Santana, you're so... you're so fucking-" Santana stroked a little stronger, keeping her from saying how gorgeous she thought she was. "Oh yeah, right there... Right there..."

She couldn't stop staring at those intense black pupils that were building half of her orgasm on their own. It had been quite a good thing Santana had forbidden her to watch, it was so tantalizing she would have probably came undone already. The brunette took the perfect pace, applied the perfect pressure; it was such a dream Brittany thought if she would wake up from it one day. With her trembling hands, she went to stroke Santana's cheeks but hesitated to actually touch her, afraid she'd ruin this instant of sheer wonder.

Brittany trembled everywhere, Santana thought. The unsteady hands barely holding her face, the stomach shaken by mad breaths under her fingertips, the quivering thighs around her neck... It was all trembling. Brittany even bit her lip to keep her mouth from shaking. Santana adored how responsive she was. It was one of her inner pleasures.

She decided she wasn't going to play fair. She licked a little more intensively, Brittany tilted her head back, burying it in the pillows while breathing loudly. She stroked her stomach sweetly scratching it here and there, Brittany raised her head again only to lock her voracious eyes with hers. Santana smiled through her ministrations. She wanted the blonde to be certain she was there only to please her. She gave her a playful submissive look that would say it all and set her heart on fire. She stroked harder and faster.

"Oh fuck Santana!" Brittany let out in a raw moan, keeping staring wide at her girlfriend's expert mouth right about to send her straight in heaven. "Holy shit..."

She curled up as waves of warm nearly scalded her veins. It was so good she had to shut her eyes closed, taking the waves the best she could as she felt her inner uncontrollable muscles tensing hard.

"I'm gonna come... Oh _fuck_! I'm gonna come..." She pleaded to herself.

Needing to hold onto something, Brittany grabbed the bedhead's bars instead of her lover's face, scared as hell it might have altered this astounding moment of harmony. She started to sway along the strokes' rhythm, gripping the bars as if her life depended on it.

Santana wedged her the best she could against her mouth, she crashed her lips against Brittany's sweet bundle to offer her the catalyst of her breathtaking orgasm. She couldn't stop smirking as her moans reached the highest sounds, riding her rapture by leading them into a sweet dance. Brittany suddenly pulled her hair hard to keep her still right against her core, she had long since passed the will to care about being soft, way too lost in pleasure. They stayed there, still, while the very last shakes made Brittany tremble. Santana then started to kiss around, feather light kisses drying her mouth on the insanely hot skin, kisses she set on a path up.

"Come here..." Brittany let out between breathless inspirations.

She almost jumped to hold her so very close, and folded her wet thighs around one of Santana's legs. She dried her amazing lover's lips with her thumb before kissing her so deeply. A long and intense kiss that lasted for minutes. Brittany pushed her on her back once she was sure she had drank all the love flowing from Santana's mouth.

"You're crazy gorgeous, you know that?" Brittany blurted out. She peeked at her lover's lingerie, already planning her revenge.

"Do you like it?" She teased giggling.

"_So_ very much... But you know what I like even more?" She lifted her up from the mattress just enough to untie her bra, freeing her magnificent breast from this tight, now rather annoying piece of clothing. "Them..." She said lowering herself to kiss and caress them. She kept stroking them as she kissed her way down Santana's stomach, powering through her own body. "Gosh, you're such a fantasy..." She whispered against her skin.

Santana lovingly watched her. She was completely aware the blonde would reciprocate; actually, she was already on her way. She debated internally. Her first idea was to take care of her and her only but... she wanted her as well. Like, fierce. Santana chuckled as she took a better position on the bed.

"Hold on," she whispered as she went to undo her garter belt. The soft piece of lace slid on her skin so smoothly that Brittany was already craving to get rid of all the clothing.

"Heaven..." Brittany winked before pulling Santana down closer to her. The brunette, thrilled, laughed. That night would be even more incredible - not that she thought it was possible - once her own rapture would crash over her, she was sure, like a love tornado.

* * *

The alarm clock buzzed in Brittany's ears. She woke up in a hurry. "Shit!"

She peeked at Santana sleeping against her own shoulder, she was sound asleep. She stretched to stop the alarm on the bedside cabinet the faster she could, trying not to move too much so it wouldn't wake her up. She looked around, her loft was filled with so much light, a wonderful sunny day flooding through the windows.

Santana moved, a little bugged by the ruffle. She stretched a bit and curled up against Brittany right away, burying her face in the blonde's neck. She softly cleared her voice.

"Good morning." Brittany happily whispered.

"Hel...lo..." Her lover muttered on her way to waking up. She lazily kissed her neck.

"Sorry, I forgot to turn off the alarm." She apologized putting an arm around her shoulder to cuddle her closer.

"It's... alright..." She yawned all smiles. "What time is it?"

"Noon." Santana giggled in the crook of her neck as they couldn't stop stroking each other lovingly. "What?"

"I haven't slept in that late on a Thursday morning since college, I think. Especially after that kind of night..." She chuckled rubbing her eyes.

Brittany laughed, "Well I'm glad to have been introduced to your naughty college self," she cleared her deep morning voice. "Thank you, Santana... for coming over. It was a pretty awesome gift."

"Oh but I did it for myself, I couldn't wait to see you anymore," Santana teased topping Brittany to talk to her and getting rid of her sleepiness. "That was totally selfish," she faked indifference.

"Oh really?" Brittany raised an eyebrow, joking. "You know what, I'm gonna do something extremely selfish too, right about now."

She flipped Santana over on her back and stood up with a chuckle. "What are you gonna do?" Santana let out amused.

The blonde made a flourish meaning she wouldn't spill anything, as she walked bare naked through the whole apartment. In Santana's opinion, that was the most incredible show her eyes were granted to watch. Brittany looked for her phone in her bag close to the door, where Santana had started to undress her the previous night. She made her awaiting girlfriend giggle in the bed as she skipped through the loft to find a bathrobe to wear. As the dialing tone rang in her ear, she threw playful looks while slipping in the bathrobe.

"Hi Richard," She coughed and faked a deep rough voice, "I'm really really sorry but I'll have to call in sick for tonight."

Santana tried to keep her laugh quiet.

"Yeah I know, that's a bummer but I can barely walk, I had an horrible night and-... Yeah it was terrible, I barely slept three hours," She winked at Santana who had put her hand on her mouth to keep her laughter silent. "Actually, the doctor's on his way right now-... Yeah, it must be the flu or something, I don't know-... No, I don't think I'll be able to make up my work hours tomorrow either-... Just take them off from my paycheck. If you don't mind, I'll leave you now, I think the doctor should be there by any minute-... I will, thanks Richard... Yeah, thank you, bye."

Santana applauded, "Brittany Pierce for the Best Actress Oscar."

Laughing, the blonde put her phone down and bowed to Santana. She went to her fridge and served herself and Santana a glass of orange juice. Raising a glass in the air as if she was raising a golden statuette, she spoke solemnly.

"I'd like to thank Santana, my gorgeous girlfriend , for having introduced me to the wickedest, deepest stratum of lying, forcing me to call in sick at work for the first time in my entire life."

"I didn't do anything!" Santana started giggling from the bed, "I figured I might go see a movie or two while you went to work. Or I would have read a book, I don't know..."

"You don't come into my apartment half naked saying you took days off if you don't want me to call in sick, Santana," she teased taking a sip, and resumed her speech. "I also would like to thank her expert tongue for having convinced me last night already to come to the dark side with her-" Santana threw a pillow on her, bursting into laughter. Brittany grabbed Santana's glass on the table and headed towards the bed, impassive. "Oh, I almost forgot... Hands down to my boss for being a complete naive jerk. I mean, without him, none of this could have been possible." She handed her the glass before taking her seat back on the bed.

"Thanks... Yeah, I kinda like your boss. What a genius idea he had to hire you. I would have never met you otherwise... I should send him flowers." Santana kidded taking refreshing sips of her juice. "But really, I mean it. I can find something else to do while you were away working, I feel bad reducing your paycheck over cuddles."

Brittany looked at her amused, raising an eyebrow almost mocking. "I don't care about having $150 less on my paycheck. I sell these little jewels for $10,000 each," she pointed all the paintings on the ground, all facing against the wall so nobody could see them.

When Santana had come to her house the weekend before, Brittany had made it very clear that she shouldn't try to look. She knew Brittany would just show her when she felt ready to share her art with her. Santana had found it cute, a shy lack of confidence very unusual from the blonde. But now she didn't understand why she had been so shy when her paintings were worth that much. It was obvious only a very talented artist could have sold her work for such a high price.

"Really, I only work at the theatre because I need to see new people all the time so I get inspiration. Oh and I work at the club because my friend Mercedes got stood up by one of her employee and she needs some help. When you paint as I do, you spend your whole time locked in your atelier. You basically don't see anybody, you don't talk to anybody... You feel terribly lonely and that's just sad," she explained with a smile. "It's not really work for me, my paintings are. Actually, I'm pretty sure I'm richer than you." She teased.

"But... who are you?" Santana chuckled. The blonde was always so full of secrets, little facts about herself hidden in small drawers Santana found about each time she tackled a new topic.

"Your biggest fantasy." She playfully let out with a wink.

"I want to see your paintings," Santana demanded.

"I don't think so," Brittany replied smiling. "You'll see them with everyone else at the opening of my next exhibition."

"Just one then." She pushed it, "My portrait. I want to see at least my portrait. I think I have a right of inspection over this one."

Brittany thought about it for a second staring at her lover, whose expression made clear she was highly enjoying her mysterious temper. "Fair enough..."

In a soft move, she stood up, put her glass on the bedside cabinet and went to look for the so-called masterpiece.

"But you're gonna be disappointed, it's not what you think it is..." She looked in the piles of paintings set all along the walls. "If I can find it 'cause I barely recall where I put it," she chuckled.

"I have all day, take your time," Santana teased. Brittany at her, she wasn't going to give up on that case.

She chuckled, "There it is..." She took a rather small painting out of the pile and looked at it for a second to see if it was indeed proper to be showed or not. "Good thing it's finished... "

Santana sat up in the bed, thrilled, as the blonde was walking to her. She threw her arms in front requesting to hurriedly give her the offending object.

"But it's not..."

"I told you it's not what you thought it'd be." Brittany smirked sitting back.

Santana let her eyes wander over the painting. It was a portrait of her, though she wasn't completely sure. It was a woman watching a movie, a three quarter profile whose features were made blurry by the darkness of the screening room. As she inspected the face, she realized she had painted her with her puffy cheeks as one who'd been crying, her lips barely parted by the emotion of an heartbreaking movie.

"What about the one you told me about at office?" Santana let out in the whisper, taken aback by how striking the painting was, a very intimate scene set by colours on the canvas.

"Sheer bluff," Brittany spat kidding, taking a sip of her juice and laying back down. "I may have spied on you to make this one... During the free screening I gave you."

"You weren't supposed to see me like this..." Santana was a little embarrassed yet so moved. She remembered the astounding river of emotions the movie had set her in, how her heart was safely opening itself in the room's darkness.

"It's one of my favorite moments together. Still today." Brittany said locking their eyes. The memory was still so good. "You made my heart melt for the first time there."


	10. Chapter 10

"Fabray, I haven't heard from you in days!" Santana happily spat, picking up her ringing phone.

"_Who's fault is that?" _Quinn laughed over the line. "_How are you?"_

Santana grinned, "There's not much to tell, the simple life of Lopez... Just hanging around with my babe, chilling at each other's places, watching movies, stuff like that..." She answered blushing. Their little weekend had been such a refreshing couple of days.

"_The question is, do you manage to see the movie's end?" _

"I can't answer that..." She giggled. "Anyways, you, what about you? How you doin'?"

"_Well, I placed an ad to hire a new bestie since the last one deserted, but it's great. I'm flipping through the applications right now. They are all wonderful people!"_

"Okay, I get it," Santana chuckled. "She'll be at work tonight so I'm free. Fancy something together?"

"_Wow, I didn't expect you to be so easily convinced!"_ Quinn laughed, _"Since you ask, there's a movie I want to see at her theatre actually. I figured you might want to come-"_

"God, you're _so_ not going alone! Hell yeah, I'm coming. No way you're gonna talk to her without me!" Santana freaked out a little.

Never. Santana had never introduced someone to her friends. It seemed like such a trivial thing, but to her it seemed like a freaking high mountain to climb. She had barely ever been with someone more than a month. These women who'd come in and out of her life had never seemed worthy enough to become really involved in her life. Santana had never been satisfied with her love life. And even that was an understatement. Used to protecting herself from these flaming women, the mere idea of introducing them as her "girlfriend" was terrifying. If these women happened to be called "girlfriends" - these women she had very little feeling for, if any at all - then what would it say about herself? No, there was no way she'd introduce them.

But Brittany was different. They'd been together for a little over than a month, which meant that they had already outlasted most of Santana's previous relationships, by far. To be honest, Santana hadn't even thought about the fact that it was so obvious: she and Brittany would last much longer than that. She was just so sure about it. However, this brought her to some very new territory, actual relationships based on something other than sex to relieve the pressure of an overly stressful life. She realized this relationship was becoming a huge deal. Brittany alone was a huge deal. Her heart started to race, adrenaline rushing in. When Quinn mentioned she might actually meet her girlfriend, even for two seconds, even for the exact time to print a ticket and say goodbye, it sounded like some sort of official meeting. The two people dearest to her, meeting. In Santana's mind, it was almost too much to take.

"What time and where? I'll pick you up." Santana spat, determined to control everything about that night.

Quinn laughed,_ "I thought I could wait for you there-"_

"Nope, not gonna happen, I'll pick you up and this is not up for discussion."

"_Okay I get it, Miss I-freak-out-cause-of-nothing. 8 at my place. Does this work for you?"_

"Noted."

"_I can't wait to see you and your girlfriend, if you don't die out of stress first,"_ Quinn teased playfully.

"I'll leave you now, goodbye Quinny "Mean" Fabray."

"_Love you too, S.!"_

Laughing, Santana hung up. Now she was in for a very long afternoon filled with anxiety. She planned every word she would say, every expression she would use to keep Quinn from actually talking to Brittany. She would do everything to just grab the tickets and head to the room. She would only escape for a second during the ads to go steal a kiss to Brittany once she'd have served every waiting customer. Yes, that seemed like a good plan, at least a safe plan.

A few hours later, Santana rushed out of the office, determined to get to Quinn's apartment on time. Her friend was already waiting in front of the building, ready to go, indicating she knew Santana very well. She skipped to the car, a huge smirk cutting her face in two.

"I can wait to see he-, I mean the movie!" Quinn teased through the open window, reaching for the door.

"Don't bullshit me Fabray, I know we're going just because you're too curious to function." Santana spat half joking.

"Well, it's half of the reason. I really want to see this movie though!" She laughed taking a seat in the car. "I must admit Santana, you're radiant! I haven't seen you like that in awhile!" Santana chuckled. "Feels good to be in love, huh?"

Santana stared at her friend with a wicked smile once she had heard the cursed words, "to be in love". She pulled herself together and started the car.

"I'm not," she let out, only half convinced. Quinn puffed, laughing. "Yet."

"Yeah, that's a little more honest."

Softly chuckling, Santana drove on the roads to get to the theatre, this wonderland where some of her best memories had recently taken place, where everything had started. Quinn couldn't stop teasing her, grilling her to get all the details from these past few weeks during which she hadn't seen her friend at all. As her heart raced like a storm, Santana parked and they headed to the theatre, Quinn laughing thrilled, and Santana giggling anxiously.

"Next!" A man in the booth yelled. Santana looked through the crowd to peek at the booth but there were too many people in front.

"Hold on, why isn't Brittany there?" Santana worried aloud.

"What?" Quinn looked up from the schedule she was reading as she waited in the line.

"That's a man in the booth, not Brittany."

"Next!" The man shouted again as the line was getting shorter.

"Maybe she took a break or something, chill." Quinn resumed reading.

"Next!" Santana looked all around for her but couldn't find her anywhere. She crossed her arms and started to pace. "Next!" The man kept shouting and it didn't help her nerves at all. Once their turn came, Santana had hard time hiding her concern.

"Hi, I thought Brittany was working tonight? Wasn't she?" She inquired with a sweet yet anxious smile.

"She called in sick. What movie, ladies?" The man hurried considering the still rather big line behind.

"'The Curse', please." Quinn stated plainly.

"What do you mean she called in sick, what happened to her?"

"I don't know Ma'am, I'm the boss' son. My father asked me to replace Brittany in a hurry 'cause she was sick. That's all I know, I'm sorry." He explained while printing the tickets and Quinn paid.

"What the fuck happened? She was fine when I left her this morning!" Santana thought aloud.

The man cleared his throat, "I don't mean to be rude but I have people waiting..."

"Yeah, of course, we're leaving. Thanks." Quinn pushed her dumbfounded friend out of the line. "Santana, we're leaving," she softly insisted as Santana's feet were stuck on the ground.

"She was more than fine this morning. You know what, I'll just give her a call. She probably has a very good reason. Hold on." She hurriedly looked for a phone and waited for Brittany to pick up, anxious as hell.

"I'm sure it's nothing, Santana," Quinn tried to reassure her friend with her softest voice.

"She's not picking up," Santana started to pace again, "She's not picking it up! Damn shit! I'm getting her voicemail!" She started as her friend watched her, quite sad for her. "She's cheating on me. It's the only reason. She called in sick once so _we _could happily fuck. She could totally do that with someone else.."

Quinn laughed at her friend losing her temper so easily. "I'm really convinced it's nothing, Santana."

"Hi sweetheart, it's me. I just wanted to hear your voice, I miss you... Call me back, _please_. K, bye..." she hung up staring at her phone.

"Why didn't you just tell her you were here and worrying?"

"...and risk to be seen as a psycho girlfriend stalking her? No thanks." She spat, deep in thought, eyes locked on her phone. "I should probably go at her apartment or-"

"Santana! Come on, since when do you freak out like this for a girl!" Quinn kidded to ease her, "Maybe she ate something bad and didn't feel like working. Don't be out of your mind, come on. If it was important, she would have called, it's probably nothing."

Santana bit her lips listening to her friend. "Yeah, but what if she's with another gi-"

"She's not cheating on you, for God's sake! You don't spend a whole month chasing a girl to cheat her three days later, come on!" She pushed her friend in the theatre's corridors. "Set your phone on vibrate, so if she calls during the movie, you can go outside to take the call, okay? Really, stop freaking out." Santana remained silent, stressed and sad. "We can sit in the last row, the closest to the door, deal?"

"Okay..." Santana answered, internally admitting she was maybe overreacting a bit... maybe a lot. If Brittany wasn't answering, she still could drive by her apartment to see if she was there or not after the movie. "Okay, let's go," she said pushing the dark room's door open.

The movie went by and Santana had hard time getting into the action. She kept looking back and forth between the screen and her phone. All probable reasons for Brittany's sudden absence passed through her mind, a wicked parade of irrational worries and unreasonable thoughts. One hour into the movie, she couldn't stand it anymore. She bent to hide the light from her phone once opened and texted.

_**To Brittany:  
**__Hey sweetheart, I'm starting to worry, it's not like you not to answer... Is everything alright? Call me. xo Your Santana._

"Are you serious? Are you texting her in the middle of the movie?" Quinn whispered.

"But I'm so worried!"

"Shhhh..." Someone complained.

"It says my text's not delivered." Santana whispered the lowest she could. "I'm coming back, I gotta call her again. I'll die if I just sit here and don't do anything-"

"Shhhh!"

"Be right back." She told her friend standing up carefully not to make a single sound. Quinn nodded and locked her eyes back on the screen.

As soon as the door was closed, she called. She skipped outside waiting for the ringtone to tinkle in her ear. She immediately ended up on the voicemail. "What the fuck?" She hung up and walked outside in a hurry. Maybe it was the service in the theatre that was bad after all, she pushed the exit doors and tried again. Straight to voicemail again. Now it was officially time to freak out. She started to think about her options, all the things she could do. She heard a sound from the booth, she rushed to talk to the man again.

"Hey! Hey you!" She spat, her bossy temper at its best, "I'd like to talk to your father, please."

"Now? It's past eleven!"

"So what? A man running a theatre is not sleeping at eleven. Call him."

The man puffed, mocking, "I'm not gonna call him."

"The customer's always right! Call him...now." She ordered, determined to find out what Brittany had said when she had called in sick. The man just stared at her, hoping she would just back off. Exasperated, she looked for some cash in her back pocket and put it on the counter. "Maybe he has insomnia and will be very glad to actually get a phone call and have a little chat." The man hesitated, she doubled right away. "A really, really infuriating insomnia."

Sighing, the man took the money and grabbed his phone. "Dad, someone wants to talk to you-... Yeah now-... Yeah I know, but she gave me cash so... Okay." He put his phone back in his pocket. "He's coming."

"Thank you," She politely said but had long since stopped caring about actually seeming nice.

Within the next few minutes, the theatre's boss came outside.

"Is it you who wants to complain?" He blurted, already annoyed.

"Hi, I'm not complaining, I want to know why Brittany's not working tonight."

"And who are you? Why does it concern you?" He asked rudely.

"I'm her-..." She stopped herself. She had absolutely no idea about Brittany's relationship with her boss, and feared spilling she was her girlfriend maybe wasn't the wisest thing. "Sister-in-law, I'm trying to contact her but her phone is down and she was supposed to be working tonight. I have an important family issue and it can't wait."

"But I don't know why she's not here!" He let out obviously very sincere. "A man called this afternoon saying she couldn't come in tonight or neither tomorrow and that she'd call me back herself tomorrow to talk to me."

"A man? Who?"

"I don't know at all who he was. Tommy? Tom maybe?" The man tried to remember out loud.

"Yeah Tom, okay," She thought out loud, trying to put all the informations together. "What did Tom say exactly?"

"That she couldn't come, that's it. He seemed in a rush. I figured it was pretty important..."

"Do you have Tom's phone number?" She said already grabbing her phone to call him.

"No, it was an unlisted number."

"What the-... Okay. You know what, nevermind. Thanks."

"You're welc-" The boss answered but she was already rushing into the theatre.

She came back into the dark room, barely paying attention to the noise she was making.

"Any news?" Quinn inquired as Santana grabbed her jacket and purse on an empty seat.

"It sounds bad, I'm going to her apartment now."

"Now?" Quinn let out surprised.

"Shhhh!"

"Oh shut it, asshole!" Santana threw the complaining person a vicious look that kept him from saying anything else. "Her phone is disabled and her neighbor called in sick for her. I want to know what the fuck is going on."

"Okay... Drive safely, please..." Quinn said, perfectly aware of her friend's habit to drive way too fast when angry.

"I'll keep you posted once I know what the fuck is happening." Santana put her bag on her shoulder, kissed her friend goodbye. "Sorry for the lame escape..."

"Don't worry, I understand! Go!" Quinn let out with a smile.

Reassured that her friend wasn't angry at all, Santana gave her a smile too and rushed out as fast as she could. She frantically tapped on the wheel to ease her nerves each time the traffic lights turned red, praying for this situation to just be a nightmare she'd soon wake from. It was just so strange and alarming. She knew Brittany would call in sick just like that, but why Tom would do it for her? Why would he call like that, in a rush? It just made no sense at all. Her heart couldn't stop beating loud, hurting her chest as minutes ticked by. She didn't care anymore if Brittany would think she was overreacting, or too stalkerish, or even too protective over her. The excruciating need to know she was safe was destroying it all.

Finally arriving, she looked up at her window to see if there was light in her girlfriend's apartment. A huge lump formed in her throat when she found dark windows, proof of an empty place. After all, it was late, maybe she was indeed sick and sleeping. She decided to give it a shot, parked and made her way through the building. Climbing the stairs two by two, she was more worried than ever. She reached Brittany's floor in a flash, almost threw herself on the door and drummed against it.

"Brittany, wake up, it's me!" She kept drumming on the locked door. "It's me, Santana!" Still no answer. "Fuck..."

She wondered if, perhaps, Brittany might have hidden a key somewhere. She fumbled around the doorframe and found a small key. Without a second thought, she unlocked the door and found the same apartment as always, paintings and canvas everywhere, a clean kitchen table, a messy desk, her bed neatly made, but no Brittany...anywhere. She turned all the lights on and began to inspect the place, looking for any clue that could relieve her aching heart. The kitchen, her desk, all were left in the same condition as when she had left the apartment earlier that day. She went to the bed, Brittany had set her own earrings on the bedside cabinet. Santana touched her earlobes, she had indeed forgotten them that morning and never realized. She smiled at the cute scene, her jewels set all shiny and proud by Brittany on the wooden furniture, between her favorite book and her alarm clock. Determined not to lose focus, she kept searching but everything was sadly, utterly normal. Making her way out, she looked around one last time and spotted Brittany's phone on a table. She grabbed it, the battery was obviously dead. At least she knew why she wasn't answering and that she had probably just left forgetting to take her phone with her.

Sighing, Santana closed the door and put the key back, defeated. All she could think of was going back home and curling up on her bed, waiting for a miracle that'd bring her girlfriend back to her. Anyhow, she had a terrible night ahead, just waiting for her.

* * *

Santana's coffee was getting cold, forgotten on corner of her desk as she tried, for the thousandth time to pull herself together that day. Leaning on her elbows, holding her aching forehead with her both hands, she looked like a living disaster. Sleep had never come that past night. She made her way to her office like a ghost haunting the building's Human Resources department. At the earliest hour, she had driven by Brittany's apartment again, only to find the same dark windows, the same closed door and the same almost-messy loft. She had already called her a dozen times, hoping the blonde would finally come home, recharge her batteries and end this worry that knew no bounds. Telling her that her grandma had a problem, her sister's boyfriend just broke up with her, any reason would do. She just needed to one to hold on to. Worry had made her miss her voice as if she had seen her for the last time ever, just the day before. She only wanted to hear Brittany say those simple yet most wonderful words: "Hi sweetheart."

Someone entered her office but she was in such a bad mood that she didn't even look up.

"Miss Lopez?" Her department's receptionist asked.

"What do you want?" She spat, frozen in her sad position.

"Hm... I'm just bringing your mail..." Santana didn't respond. "Can I just leave it there?" The receptionist carefully approached, attempting to make the envelopes slide on the desk.

"Do you need a fucking manual to learn how to drop envelopes and just go?"

The receptionist held her breath, dropped the mail on the desk and tiptoed out the office as quickly as possible, fearing she might get Santana even angrier. The clock kept chiming on the wall, the only sound bringing actual life in the room. Santana took the irritating sounds, her bad mood seemed to grow even more as the seconds passed by. Someone came in again and Santana sighed loudly.

"Santana, do you plan on torturing our poor receptionists any longer?"

"Do you plan on annoying the shit out of me and actually tempting me to make some drastically low cuts in your budget?" Santana replied harshly to her co-worker, not moving an inch.

"Are you alright? Is there anything you want to talk-"

"If I needed an armchair psychiatrist, I'd go talk on the Tyra Bitch Banks show about what pains in the ass my co-workers are. Get the fuck out of my office."

"Sant-"

"Out!"

The door was being closed in a soft move. She heard her co-worker clear his voice in front of her door.

"_Attention everybody, our dear director must not be disturbed today. You all may go back to work. Thank you,"_ her co-worker announced with a playful voice. For him, she was just having one of those days, angry and tired. Even if lately, she had been happy and actually nice, being rude was Santana's main reputation. There was nothing more normal than that.

She sighed even more, feeling kind of sorry for herself. She didn't like being this way, not at all. But she felt insanely trapped. She looked at the clock on the wall, dark circles surrounding tired eyes. It was barely noon and she had absolutely no idea about how to manage for the rest of the day. She grabbed her mug full of cold coffee and took a sip, the bitter, cold drink was still the best thing that happened to her that day. She leaned against the leather of her armchair and turned it around to look out the large office windows. She rested her aching head, staring at the cloudless sky and sipping her coffee. Her eyelids felt so heavy, rocked to sleep by the ticktock of the clock. She closed her eyes, unable to fight her tiredness anymore.

A distant sound tickled her ear and she woke up in a hurry. She looked around, everything seemed normal and silent. Her phone buzzed. Before she could take another breath, she made her armchair twirl, put her mug down almost spilling it all over her desk and caught the buzzing phone with both hands like a predator seizing its quarry. She couldn't smile wider as Brittany's name flashed on and off on the small screen.

"Brittany?" Santana let out taken by surprise.

"_Hey..."_ Brittany barely whispered, the voice of a ghost breathing words over the line.

"Are you alright? I was so worried!"

Brittany giggled but immediately groaned as if laughing was hurting her, _"You're gonna laugh... I'm just coming back from the Hospital-"_

"The Hospital? What happened?"

"_Yeah, that's the funny part... I broke a rib..."_

"You what?" Santana had no words, falling apart in her chair.

"_It's pretty stupid actually,"_ Brittany giggled again, _"Ouch... Tom and I went to the art supply store yesterday and we bought a canvas that was almost too large for the stairwell. We still tried to make it up the three floors but I lost my balance at a turn and fell down the stairs..."_ She giggled again, _"I'm so stupid sometimes... Ouch..." _

"Oh my god..."

"_And this dumbass forgot to take our phones when he left for the hospital after I'd been taken away in the ambulance. I'm so sorry I couldn't call you..."_

"What are you saying! You don't have to be sorry... Does it hurt a lot? Oh my god, my poor babe..."

"_I'm not gonna lie, I'm freaking high with painkillers right now, I don't really know what reality is anymore..." _She managed to joke despite her aching body and her sick voice.

"Oh my sweetheart... Do you need anything, is there anything I can do?"

"_Nah, it's fine... I'm in my bed right now, Tom just left to get me something to eat. Fifty bucks that, with my luck, the food will be poisoned," _she chuckled.

Santana bit her lip. All she wanted was to leave the office, drive all the way through the entire city just to get by her side. "Are you sure there's nothing I can do? I can come keep you company, you know..."

Brittany laughed, _"Are you kidding or what? I look like Beetlejuice! The last thing I need is you seeing me like this! Nah, if Tom doesn't get lost in the corridors, it should be fine. I'll figure..."_

Taking the news, her nails drummed on her wooden desk trying to find a way to help her. "You know what, I don't care. I'm leaving the office right now and I'm coming."

"_But it's no fun and you already took days off for m-" _

"Please... I can't stay here knowing you're hurt..."

"_But I look awful! Definitely not sexy with these bandages-"_

"Like I care! Tell Tom he can go, I'll take care of you this afternoon. Just give me an hour to get my stuff at home and come over for the night," she negotiated already on her way out, her bag glued to her shoulder, locking her office door in a hurry. She heard Brittany's sweet expression smile over the line, actually very pleased to see Santana act so attached to her.

She didn't want to waste another minute apart from her. After saying goodbye and hanging up quickly, she rushed to the parking lot and then to her house. All her irrational fears were gone, leaving behind a battlefield ready to be filled with love again. She finally lightened up. Now she would just go by her side and take care of her, show Brittany how dear she was. She only looked forward to caring for her. She didn't at all share Brittany's concern that maybe they weren't solid enough yet to overcome this sort of event. It wouldn't have made any difference if they had been together for only a few months or a few years... The need to be by her side in such bad times was erasing any hint of pride or shyness. Santana didn't need any more official commitment to feel bound to Brittany. Being with her was all that mattered.

Parking in front of Brittany's building, she couldn't stop smiling despite the bad news, learning for the first time in her life what being in love meant and how it felt like.

"Brittany, it's me!" Santana knocked on her door, carrying a big bag full of spare clothes, books, her computer and other necessary things. She had just taken everything, just in case.

"Come in, it's open!" Brittany shouted back.

Carefully, Santana pushed the door to find her lover standing in the middle of the apartment, some kind of lost. "Hey..."

Brittany slowly turned around, taking her time as an old lady would, a huge bruise coloring her cheek under a small bandage covering a tiny wound from the fall. Santana held her breath, it looked so impressive. "I warned you... I told you not to come," she softly giggled, holding on her hurting rib.

Santana, perplexed and worried, let her bag fall on the ground and rushed by her side. "Aww... What are you doing up, go back to bed..." She said gently taking hold of her face, stroking the bandage and giving her the sweetest kiss as a hello.

"I just need a glass of water to take my painkillers-"

"Go lay down. I'll bring it to you." She gestured that she should go.

"It's fine Santan-.. Ouch..." The pain took her over as soon as she turned around to grab a glass.

"Go!" Santana insisted with a smile.

Brittany had no strength to argue, "Okay..." She started to drag herself through the loft, a painful vision of her limping that made Santana grit her teeth in compassion.

She quickly found a glass and put water in it. She skipped back to her hurt girlfriend, to help her lay down. "Need help?" She softly asked seeing the blonde was having hard time sitting on her bed.

"I... hm... Ouch..."

"Hold on," Santana put the glass down on the bedside cabinet and went to support her back so she could lay down. Brittany gritted her teeth and softly groaned as her heavensent girlfriend helped her take the most comfortable position, all about soft and caring moves. "There you go..."

"Thanks..."

"Your glass and your pills, milady..." Santana joked, giving her the glass and opening the pill box Brittany had left there.

Brittany chuckled, "You so weren't supposed to see me like this. Not so soon... It's totally killing our sexy bubble," Brittany mumbled eyes down, actually feeling already guilty if the young couple they were wasn't surviving a recovery which would require deep and profound trust and care.

"I don't care if our bubble is sexy or not as long as you're in it with me."

Smirking, Brittany swallowed her painkillers.

* * *

Warmth woke Santana up. Curled up next to Brittany, they both had fallen asleep watching a movie. She was boiling, still wearing her the clothes she'd arrived in and drowning under Brittany's blanket. Her head was dizzy, bothered by the DVD's menu replaying its music over and over again. She peeked at the alarm clock, it was already six in the morning.

"Pffff..." She let out annoyed.

They had probably fallen asleep extra early for a barely restful sleep, both tuckered out for different reasons: Brittany by a massive dose of painkillers and Santana by the previous night's sleeplessness. The thing was that Santana needed be up at 6:30, so she could get ready for work. To be honest, she didn't know how she could manage a whole day when she felt so brainwashed already.

She peeked at Brittany, snuggling up deep in sleep, probably feeling cold considering how she was clutching the blanket. Santana rubbed her eyes and climbed out of the bed as carefully as she could. She folded her side of the blanket on Brittany so she would get warmer, and headed to the bathroom. There was no point on going back to sleep for a pathetic half an hour. She would have wind up even more messed up than she already felt. A cold shower would help her back on her feet.

Feeling a little perkier after the shower, she looked for clothes in her bag, wrapped up in her towel.

"Hey..." She heard Brittany mutter from the bed, followed by huge yawns.

She happily tiptoed towards the bed, "Good morning, babe."

"God I feel like I've been hit by a bus or something... Ouch..."

Santana grabbed the empty glass from the nightstand and went to fill it again. "Yeah I've taken these painkillers once before, they kick the hell out of you..." She softly said giving Brittany her pills and her glass.

"You had an accident too?" Brittany got rid of her sleepiness as she sat up in the bed and emptied the glass.

"Wisdom teeth," Santana chuckled. It seemed so trivial in comparison.

"Well, that hurts too!" She said with her sweetest smile, despite the sad bruise on her cheek and the bandage, now in disarray from the night. "Are you staying for breakfast with me...?" She softly asked, figuring Santana would leave soon considering she was already getting ready.

There were no words to express how good Brittany felt when Santana was around. Even hurt, even sick, Brittany had felt so reassured to have her around. Santana was always so smiling, so sweet with her, it was a sweet consolation for her pain. The idea of her leaving for the day already started to sadden her.

'Of course!" Santana answered with a silly smile finishing dressing up, wondering why even Brittany had to ask. She zipped down the dress she was sliding into with a flourish and made Brittany laugh. She was a ray of sunshine. "I'm gonna make some coffee."

Santana set the best breakfast table as neatly as she could, already knowing where Brittany kept her things, starting to feel at home. Brittany dragged herself to the kitchen table like a zombie crossing the loft.

"Do you think you're gonna survive today?" Santana kidded, half serious.

Brittany made a face, amused. She reached for the milk, but it was too far for her to grab without feeling pain. With a chuckle, Santana pushed it closer to her.

"Honestly, I always make fun of my grandma, but now it's all over," Brittany laughed, trying to open her bottle but failing. Her broken rib had stolen all her strength for clenching things. "Santana, can you...?" She asked, embarrassed.

Santana took a last sip of her coffee and came over to Brittany to help her with her breakfast. She bent to cuddle her from behind, reassuring her sighing girlfriend. "Come on, it's just for a couple of weeks. Think of it like a holiday! I'd like to read and watch movies all day!" Brittany held her breath. "What is it?"

"I can't work!" Brittany disconcerted out loud, realizing all of a sudden all what her condition implied. "I won't be able to work for weeks! Months maybe!"

"Calm down sweetheart, maybe not for a couple of days, but you'd still be able to paint, right? I mean, it can't be physically too taxing-"

"No, it's freaking demanding and-.. Oh my god... I can't afford a break right now, I have the opening in two months and I have so much work still unfinished... Oh my god Santana, I'm screwed!" She started to hyperventilate.

Santana rushed to get a seat next to her. She took Brittany's hands and stroked them to calm her down. "Brittany, listen to me, slow down... If you take two weeks to really relax and heal, you'd be able to work faster after, wouldn't you?"

"It doesn't work like that," Brittany pouted, so sad and angry at herself for hurting herself so stupidly. "I use oil paint, and it takes weeks to dry. I really have to paint now! And I need to paint, for me! I can't properly function if I can't paint!"

Crisis situations were her thing. Santana tried to think about a wise solution despite her freaking out girlfriend. There must be a solution. There always was.

"You really can't paint? Sorry if my question is silly but I don't understand how holding a brush is tiring..." She tried, taking the softest voice in case Brittany thought her question was stupid or rude.

"It's not about the brushes, it's about all the other moves! I need to open the paint pots. They always get stuck because of the dry paint, and then I have to switch the canvas on the easel, and force to grip them with the fasteners and-"

"Then you need an assistant!" Santana blurted. Getting an assistant to do the dirty work was such a common thing in huge enterprises such as the one she was working for. She was surprised not to have think about it earlier. "An art student or something like that!" She explained with a reassuring smile.

"But what would he do while I paint?"

"I don't know... You can make him do some research, or classify things-"

"No, really... Even for me, I wouldn't feel comfortable with someone watching me, I always painted by myself..."

"Okay so no assistant. What about a friend? A neighbor? Can't Tom help you? Can't he work with you?"

"Oh God no, he'd always criticize what I'd do. Besides he's a sculptor, he makes outdoor sculptures..."

"You're not helping, you know that." Santana half kidded, a bit defeated not to find a solution. "What can we do, what can we do..." Santana scratched her forehead.

Brittany stared back with big eyes, as one who felt stuck and terribly sad. To be honest, she had never been incapable of working, and the mere idea depressed her already. It was her reason to live, if someone or something took that away from her, even for a day, a week, a month... it was like she was losing everything. She had a hard time holding back small tears forming at the corners of her eyes. She looked away, pretending to cough.

"I get it! I have solution but you're not gonna like it," Santana giggled. Brittany stared, fearing the worst. "What about..._ I_ help you. I can go to work in the mornings, grab my computer and work from here in afternoons..." she explained all happy and playful.

"You'd do that for me? I mean, no, you don't have to change all your schedule for me... I can figure, I don't know..."

"Would you mind if it's me that is helping you? Would it bother you to paint? 'Cause you know, I'd just have the eyes locked on the screen, you'll barely notice me-"

"That's a terrible idea." Brittany spat, not convinced at all by her own words. Santana was the only she could actually tolerate around her while painting, just because she actually was the only one to inspire her at the moment. It sounded like an endless source of inspiration, hence the best thing that could ever happen to her art. But Santana had a job, a very important position, full of responsibilities. It would be unfair for her to accept the offer.

"Is it, Brittany?" Santana asked rhetorically, raising a mocking eyebrow. She was convinced her idea was pure gold. Brittany remained silent, staring back, hoping she'd take back her own suggestion. Smirking, Santana grabbed her coffee on the table and emptied it in one big gulp. She kissed her softly and stood up. "I can't wait..."

"Santana, really-"

"I just have an important meeting this morning, so I might get in here around 2 or 3 PM maybe. Do you think you'll be alright on your own until then?" She asked all happy.

Actually, being "stuck" with Brittany sounded like the perfect cure for her very embarrassing lack of motivation at work. She had been daydreaming a lot lately, not to mention the previous day she had spent dying out of worry. Maybe working around Brittany was the solution for her own problem. Yes, it sounded like the perfect idea for both of them.

"I guess so..." Brittany let out, flushing red.

Even if Tom was a very good friend, Brittany knew he would never change his life for weeks just for her, even if he loved her from the bottom of his heart; even if it just meant moving from his own apartment -a few meters away from hers. He would never do it. And then here was Santana, her fairy godmother, aka her lover, willing to rescue her from the worst thing that could possibly happen to her. Love, it was flowing in her heart, warm waves of relief drowning her loud heartbeats. Only someone who truly loved her would ever do such a thing. Now she was sure, Santana loved her. "Love," her mind couldn't stop repeating that word.

"That settles it! Now, I gotta rush or I'll run late!" She kissed her again. To both of them, this kiss tasted different than before. More than attraction, a sweet and natural commitment flavoured their lips with an irresistible taste of heaven. "See you later, sweetheart..."

"Santana, I-" Brittany couldn't let the cursed words out of her lips. "Love", that was all she wanted to say but she just hadn't any idea on how to turn this word without sounding too grand, too soon, as if they were burning the steps.

"You what?" The brunette inquired all smiles.

"Thanks," She managed to let out.

Santana chuckled and went to kiss her again, "My pleasure."

* * *

Sorry for the wait! I had some issues with inspiration lately but it's all fixed right now :D  
Tell me what you think!

Thanks Rach for the help ;)


	11. Chapter 11

Day after day, Brittany couldn't get enough of Santana. The brunette always woke up with the same energy, a ray of sunshine lighting the whole loft better than the sun itself. She absolutely adored hearing her singing under the shower, the way she always drank her coffee - eyes locked on her computer screen - impassive. Her organization delighted her, always checking first if she had her keys, second her phone, third if her makeup was okay, fourth if her dress was okay. A little dance she did every morning before kissing her goodbye and leaving for the office all morning. Brittany now could identify the rhythm of Santana's steps when she came back around noon, a very typical drumming pace her heels made on the ground in the building's corridors. She always entered the apartment with a sweet word. First, it was a simple "hey sweetheart", then it had turned into a "hey babe", "hi honey", a whole dictionary of sweet words to start their day time together. Then she would change, getting rid of her dress and her long, silky hairstyle to pass some jeans on and tie her hair into a messy bun so she wouldn't get any paint of her chic clothes and great hair-do.

Brittany had no words to describe how much she loved this Santana, cool and relaxed, sipping her coffee while working in her jeans. She loved the dresses. Santana was always so sexy in them, looking smoking hot, fresh and perfect. But whenever Brittany would took a five-minute break, she just stared at her lovingly thinking she couldn't be more beautiful, so serious, scratching her forehead when focusing really hard, chewing on her pen when deep in thought, just living her life on her own a few steps away from Brittany. When she was away, Brittany had taken to the habit of sketching, only thing she could do on her own without the risk of hurting herself even more. Once she would hear Santana's key turn into the lock, she would hide it in a hurry so Santana would never know how many portraits she had sketched of her, maybe dozens, maybe hundreds.

She had been the sweetest all along, aways opening her paint pots with a smile, making sure everything was perfect for Brittany to work: "Is it okay like that?", "Do you want this there or there?", "I can go to the store if you're running out of blue, it's just a few blocks away, I don't mind at all!" She completed the process of melting her heart one day when she had made a stain of coffee on the ground and felt terribly sorry and embarrassed. Brittany had shaken her brush to make some paint drop on the floor to show her she couldn't care less. The two of them burst into laughter, each of them were thinking the other couldn't get any cuter.

Once again, this day had been a sheer fantasy. Brittany had woken to a Santana snuggling against her. The brunette had set their breakfast while she had been taking care of her hurtful rib. She had daydreamed about her last vision of her all morning, Santana leaving the loft all about tight skirt and incredibly high heels, only to feel even more in love. Her heart melting as she drew in her bed, the keys clicked in the lock.

"Hey babe, I went to the store on my way back, I gave the seller the reference you told me but he said he hadn't any of that paint left, so he gave me another one, I hope it's okay!" Santana ranted while entering the apartment and getting rid of bags full of groceries on the kitchen table.

Brittany folded her sketchbook and stuffed it in her bedside cabinet. Careful, she stood up and walked to get to her so very dear sweetheart. "You went to the grocery store too? You didn't have to..."

"Yes Ma'am," Santana happily answered. " I got coffee - a huge load of coffee!" She laughed as she took all the boxes off the paper bags, amused by her own addiction to caffeine, "Avocados, 'cause tonight I'm making you some awesome guac, my love. A ancestral Lopez family recipe, it's to die for! And last but not least..."

Brittany smiled wide, blushing. She stared, frozen, at Santana, absorbed by her unpacking, totally unaware of the sweet words she had just inadvertently let out. _My love_, it just sounded so natural, so meant to be. It could have never been said in a more perfect way.

"What did you just say?"

"What? I said I'll make you guac, you know, _guacamole_!" She repeated with her best Spanish accent and a little dance move to show how fiercely she loved that.

"Yeah, of course... Sorry, I was away for a second," Brittany faked, hiding her thrilled heart the best she could. Then these two little words would be her little secret, locked the sweetest part of her heart and memory.

Santana smiled back, "And... _nachos!_ Ba dum tss..." She said shaking a bag of nachos in the air playfully. "How does that sound? You, me and guacamole in front of a movie tonight?"

She couldn't hold her chuckles anymore, way too flustered, "Who needs painkillers when I have you? My little paradise on Earth..."

Santana grabbed a few boxes to put them away, walked around the table to kiss her, "Well, I do love how _that_ sounds."

_Of course you do, since you love me too_, Brittany thought.

* * *

After an incredibly productive afternoon and a cozy night snuggling against each other on the sofa and devouring Santana's delicious guacamole in front of a funny movie, both very satisfied women were preparing themselves to go to bed. Sitting on the bed's edge, Brittany rubbed some cream on her bruised rib. As soon as Santana came from the bathroom, she hid it under her shirt.

"Open the blanket. I'm freakin' freezing!" Santana joked, skipping through the loft barefoot with her shirt and underwear for her only clothes.

Giggling, Brittany unfolded the blanket and lay down underneath, on her broken rib-free side. Santana hurried and curled up against her, feeling so cold.

"Feeling better there?" She whispered in the crook of her neck, trying to hold her the best she could. She took a better position and started to cuddle her, kissing her so tenderly.

"Much better," Santana murmured before kissing her back. She slid her arms around her neck, the only place she was sure not to hurt even with caresses.

It was Brittany's favorite moment of the day. Side by side, there was almost no broken rib anymore, just the two of them cuddling each other to sleep, whispering the conclusions of the day and wishing each other wonderful dreams - that they'd sure have. It was the only moment of the day when she remained just a few inches away from her. She was free to stroke her endlessly, to feel her smooth skin and her natural perfume spelling of fresh flowers and a springtime morning. She pushed her on her back, deepening her kiss.

Santana softly chuckled, "My babe's missing me..."

"You don't know what a torture it is having you here all day and having to keep my hands for myself..." How many times she had undressed her with her eyes, dying for the moment she would finally be able to make love to her again.

"I can go back home if it's too painf-"

Brittany crashed their lips together before she could even finish her sentence. She buried her in the pillows, chuckles for their only music. Feeling handsy, she lifted up her shirt a little to stroke her hips, wonderful curves that couldn't amaze her more. She took her time, enjoying every inch of this sweet skin until Santana, missing her this way just as much, let out a moan. Softly encouraged to pursue, she travelled up and started to stroke Santana's breasts, small mellow cushions that felt, under her fingers, like they were only created to be fondled.

"Hold on..." Santana covered her hand with hers and took it off.

"Why...?" She resumed kissing her.

Santana barely brushed around Brittany's wound and the blonde startled in pain. "That's why!" She chuckled.

"If I stay on my good side, and if-"

"No discussion! Not healed, no fooling around, babe."

"You're so harsh with me..." Brittany lay back down on the mattress, defeated.

"Whether you like it or not, I care about you getting back on your feet as soon as possible. If that means going without for a few weeks, then I'll remain chaste and there's nothing you can do about that."

"But... why..." Brittany pleaded out loud more for herself, feeling terribly sorry not to be able to give her all the love she felt for her.

"You're half-way through recovery, we just have to hold on... We can still cuddle in the meantime," She offered her open wide arms with the sweetest smile. Pouting, Brittany softly snuggled.

"I just wish..." Brittany started whispering. "I just want to make love to you..."

Santana cuddled her as carefully as she could, not to hurt her. She gave her a light kiss, "Good night, honey..."

The blonde sighed. At least she could hold her; she could have her by her side, and it was way more important than love-making. But... still.

* * *

Peacefully, they both started to work after Santana had helped her set her canvas and open all her pots. Like everyday, Santana had to use so much force to open them, grumbling. She now understood very well why Brittany couldn't work on her own.

"Santana?" Brittany softly asked, calmly waiting on her chair. Even if she called for her hundreds of times a day, each time was embarrassing her more and more.

"Yup, coming..." Santana finished reading something on her computer while standing up. Once she was done, she rushed over. "Officer Lopez on duty. What's the mission, general?" Brittany chuckled and offered her lips to be kissed. "If that's the mission, I'm glad I signed in..."

"Can you open this pot for me, please?" She attempted to grab the pot of blue paint on the ground herself but Santana was faster than her. "The cerulean," she indicated.

Santana cleared her throat, "Yeah, in human speech, what color is it?"

Brittany giggled, "This light blue over there right next to the vermili- the r_ed_," she corrected herself with a smile.

"Gotcha!" In a quick move, Santana grabbed the pot and failed at opening it. "Damn! I don't understand why it always... fucking sticks so much," she grumbled, forcing like crazy.

"I'll use another color, leave it..." Brittany resigned herself. Santana was already sweet enough to help her, she didn't want to bother her even more.

"Nah, nah, it's a matter of pride!" Santana stormed toward the kitchen with the pot.

"What are you doing?"

"Officer Lopez is gonna teach this bastard a little lesson," she joked looking for a knife in a drawer. On the kitchen table, she started to torture the pot's lid until it opened. "Hallelujah!" She sang loudly raising her hands up in the air, all proud and thrilled.

Brittany laughed, putting her palm on her face. She was such a dork sometimes. Watching the blonde laughing, Santana started to giggle at herself as she gave the pot back.

"Here's the petty criminal," She handed it over, giggling even more. "Nobody knows but my middle name is Alcatraz. Some have tried to cheat me but nobody ever found the corpses so..."

Brittany stared at her, the cute smirk and sharp eyes of one who couldn't be happier. Could she ever be more beautiful than that? She burst into laughter, "Kiss me, just kiss me... Please..." She let out between her loud chuckles.

Happily complying, Santana granted her a playful kiss through her own giggles, a perfect kiss that finished ruining Brittany's heart.

"You're off-duty, officer."

"It sounds terribly hot when you say it... Roawr..." Santana kidded, all smiles as she took her seat back at the kitchen table.

Feeling incredibly in love, Brittany resumed her work, holding her pot of blue paint. She knew this pot just became her favorite, that she would think of Santana each time she'd grab it, her sense of humor, her cuteness, simply all the best things world had to offer.

Once in a while, she peeked at Santana working, oh so serious, seeming so efficient. Saying she was efficient was an understatement, she had became some sort of unstoppable working machine since she had started looking after Brittany. She was at her best, all her motivation and efficiency finally back at their peek. She was killing her meetings in the mornings, nailing her paperwork in the afternoons. Every night, she ended up so proud of herself and she couldn't be happier that everything fit in so well, as if it was meant to be that way.

"Santana?" Brittany called, standing up slowly as she then unscrewed her easel's fasteners to free the painting. The brunette immediately came, all smiles. "Can we switch canvases?"

"No problemo!" Now knowing precisely how to do this, Santana handled the canvas perfectly and put it away while Brittany chose another size of canvas. She tried to take it off of the pile but Santana kept her from doing it. "Very funny Britt, hands off!" She threatened joking as she took it with a chuckle and tied it on the easel.

"You have cerulean on your wrist, sweetheart, don't move..." Brittany noticed and went to scrape it off from her skin.

"Blasted blue paint..." Santana grumbled playfully as Brittany softly took it away, her own hands were covered in paint anyway.

Smirking, Brittany dried her finger on Santana's cheek, leaving a huge blue stain behind.

Santana froze, "Oh no, you didn't do that."

"Yes, I did." Brittany nodded very serious.

Caught in the game, Santana dipped her finger on Brittany's palette to put paint on her face too but she turned her head away just in time, bursting into laughter again. Determined to win, Santana went to hold her without putting pressure on her rib and dried her finger all along Brittany's cheek.

Santana's phone rang, making both of them freeze and stop laughing.

"Shit," Santana playfully finished drying her finger on Brittany's already dirty shirt with a smirk and stormed to pick up.

"... Hi Vanessa-... Hm no, I've never done that-... Come on, that'd be the stupidest thing to do!-... Okay but how does that concern me?... He did what?..." She started to boil, "But who does he think he is? Nah, nah, this is not happening this way-... Oh hell no, put him on.-... Well, I don't care if he doesn't want to talk to me, put him on."

Worried by her suddenly serious tone, Brittany stared at the scene. She had never seen her really angry before and she seemed on her way to exploding. She waited anxiously to know where the conversation she was having would lead. Santana started to pace through the loft as she waited for the man to pick up. She caught sight of Brittany frowning, obviously empathic. She winked to reassure her that she wasn't angry at all, that this was just her usual way of dealing with a problem at work. Yes, she probably was a little loud, but at least things worked just fine this way. Brittany couldn't hold a relieved smile at Santana's wink, now finding her fake angriness much more entertaining.

"Hey, explain yourself!-... Yeah, I don't fucking care if it was how my predecessor usually did. Breaking news, he's not there anymore, the rules have changed now that I'm running things, so you'd better update!"

Brittany started working again, still listening to the conversation quite amused. A pain manifested harshly in her ribs making her shake, she lost grip over her brush.

"You're not listening to me, I'm gonna explain it once and once only: Crisis time, low cuts. Does that ring a bell?" Santana kept seething on the phone. Catching sight of Brittany struggling to pick up her brush, she hurried, still talking. "Yeah, but you're no alchemist. Last time I checked, there's no gold ingots in our coffee machine so if you want to keep the enterprise profitable, you don't have a choice, buddy." She cynically spat.

She bent to get the brush and give it back with a sweet smile despite her authoritarian tone. She noticed Brittany was fancying a specific pot of paint but was probably waiting to ask for it. She pointed to it, requesting a confirmation of which pot she indeed wanted, and Brittany happily nodded.

"Okay you know what, I was being nice right here, but since you decided to play nasty, let's get down to business, asshole. You don't have any power in that case, is that clear? I am the one in charge, so you'd better get your hands off of it before you, your wife and your pretty kids end up sleeping under a bridge, because guess what? I'm the one who decides who should be fired to keep the enterprise profitable." She ranted coldly.

She hurriedly clenched the pot under her arm to open the pot easily and gave it back. She stroked Brittany's shoulders softly, a loving gesture so highly contrasting with her current tone.

Brittany looked up and couldn't help but find her terribly beautiful. She was radiating so much strength, so much power... Even if she had visited her at the office before, she had never really seen her acting like a boss. Brittany wondered what she might have done to deserve such a wonderful person by her side, willing to open pots and switch canvases when she was empowered to decide on people's lives. It felt so silly, so superficial to help her paint portraits. It sounded like lame leisure compared to her own duties. And yet, Santana was there, all smiling, all happy to do the best she could to help, as if it were a mission of the highest importance.

"And let's be honest here, you're a parasite in this company, you help with nothing and you aren't profitable at all. I didn't fire you yet because you have two years left before retirement and it would have been cruel to do that to your family during a recession. I was showing clemency here 'cause this is no fun putting a family in a tough financial situation but if you keep behaving like an assohle and basically ruining people's work, including mine own, meaning your boss' work, I wouldn't have seconds thoughts, if you know what I mean."

Realizing the blonde stopped working and was just staring, Santana looked for the thing she might be waiting for her to do. She had her brushes as they were supposed to be set, her palette was full so she didn't need new colors... No, there was nothing wrong. Too busy arguing to hold on a second and ask what was wrong, she cracked a cute smile that the blonde immediately reciprocated.

Brittany gazed at Santana's ability to remain so sweet with her despite so not-fun situation. It felt as if nothing could ever come between them, even the most annoying co-worker, even the most infuriating situation. They seemed protected by their very own bubble, warmly kept safe by their own feelings from anything bad. She gazed at every detail on her face, the way her veins tensed in her neck when she was yelling, the blue stain of paint on her cheek that seemed terribly silly compared to the seriousness of the phone call. Brittany's heart felt too small to contain her feelings any longer. They were too warm and too loud to be possibly quietened. She couldn't find in this woman any flaw that could keep her from picturing a much longer time together, or even guessing when her daydream would possibly end.

"So here's the plan, listen carefully. Last week I sent you a notice indicating your specific assignments and their respective deadlines. I want you to read it again and actually do what it's written on this so-called notice and do nothing else than that. I will scrupulously check your work when you send it back to me right on the due dates. If there's a mistake, even a tiny, sweet, baby mistake, you're fired. Clear enough?... No, this call is your last warning and there will surely be no other.-... Good bye." She hung up sharply. She giggled proud of herself, "What a douchebag..."

Brittany let her brush fall on purpose to get Santana's attention as soon as she'd hear the sound.

"I love you." Brittany let out when she peeked back, blushing and cracking a grin, unable to hold it anymore. This woman would be the end of her, she knew it. She was sure about it, so there was no point of hiding it any longer.

Santana held her breath and froze. Her cheeks flushed the darkest shade of purple Brittany had ever seen on her skin.

"I-..." Santana figured she should say something back but had lost all her power over words. All her I-love-you's and me-too's felt stuck in her throat and she wasn't even able to swallow them to actually resume breathing. She wanted to free them, so badly, but all of her courage deserted her. The sweet words, the kisses she would give, it was all gone. Feet glued to the ground, she had no clue on how she could overcome such a breathtaking fantasy.

"Can you get this brush for me, please?" Brittany offered her an escape.

She hadn't hoped for any other reaction, she had perfectly guessed Santana's shyness would freeze her right away. Actually, she would have been disappointed if Santana had reacting differently, sharing right away an "I love you" back or a kiss. It wouldn't have been like her to do so. It would have meant it wasn't really sincere. In the end, Brittany couldn't feel happier.

Santana powered through and very slowly, went to pick up the brush on the ground. With hand that was a little shaky, she passed it and Brittany grabbed it with a lovely smirk, satisfied.

"Thank you."

Without making a sound, Santana walked back to the kitchen table, peeked over her shoulder every once in a while to check Brittany's smile, sticking to her lips like the sweetest gift life could ever offer. The blonde peacefully started to paint again, smirking and cheeks all red.

Santana fell on her chair, sitting back as if the world had fallen on her shoulders. She kept staring back and forth between Brittany and her screen, stunned.

"You still have some paint on your cheek," Brittany said all radiating. "You should remove it before it dries."

"Right..." Santana touched her cheek to feel the wet material and remind herself she actually wasn't daydreaming. "I'll hm-... I'll go to the bathroom to hm... to take it off," she mumbled.

"Okay," Brittany said amused.

Santana went straight and determined to the bathroom. She grabbed the towel they usually used to remove the paint stains, put some water on it and wiped it off. The cold water felt so refreshing on her burning cheek. She looked at herself in the mirror and breathed. She wanted to yell, laugh giddily, maybe even sing but her body seemed so stuck. She took a deep inspiration and headed out, taking the towel with her.

She made her way to Brittany and grabbed the end of her chin with feather light fingers. She started to wipe the paint off Brittany's cheek softly, actually the most lovingly she could. When she was done, she couldn't help but stroke where the stain was as Brittany looked up, more than blessed.

"Do I look better now?" The blonde unctuously asked.

"You couldn't be more beautiful..."

Jumping on the fact Santana had her eyes locked on her face, Brittany dipped her fingertip on her palette. She gave her best smile so she wouldn't stop gazing, and discreetly raised her hand. As fast as a snake, she put some paint back on her cheek.

"Well my love, you look roughed up!" She said before bursting into laughter, the natural expression of her sheer happiness.

Santana giggled before Brittany's laughter became contagious. She wanted to whisper "I love you too", but she realized Brittany couldn't care less about it. Brittany knew everyone's heart had a different rhythm. It was so obvious, when Brittany was laughing like that all light and radiating, that there was no pressure, no expectation. She just followed the rhythm of her own heart, and if Santana's was a bit slower, then it would take just a little longer for her to let out the magic words. It was fine. In fact, it was more than fine. One day, soon, she would say I love you for the first time in her entire life and it would be perfect just the way it would happen.

* * *

Thanks Rach for the help :) :)

One more chapter and then this story will be over...


	12. Chapter 12

The gallery where Brittany's exhibition was set to take place was extremely bright. Large front windows allowed people from the street to see everything inside and Santana stared at the huge red letters printed on the door: "_Brittany Pierce, People from nowhere but my heart, exhibition from March 5th to May_ _15th." _She couldn't help but felt immensely proud. Her sweetheart's name offered the most beautiful gift to anyone passing by this street; a chance to delve into some deeper world they could only dream of being a part of. She peeked inside and saw Brittany and her gallerist, both of them decked in high heels and glamorous dresses, rushing to hang some stray paintings that had been left. Santana took a deep, proud breath and walked in.

"To the left, Lucrezia, to the left!" Brittany guided as they hung the painting in question.

"What about now?"

"A bit more to the right... Okay that's it!" Brittany blurted as the painting's tie slid on the wall's fixing.

"Phew! Only one more and we're good!" Lucrezia said, a little bundle of determination disguised as a very graceful gallerist, while she and Brittany looked at the perfectly fixed painting.

Santana cleared her throat awkwardly. "Hm... hello?"

Brittany turned around in a hurry. "Hey! Hi!" she let out, surprised, "Lucrezia, this is Santana, my partner," Brittany explained as she came towards Santana and kissed her shyly on the cheek. "Santana, this is Lucrezia Castiglione, my gallerist."

"So I finally meet the savior that made this exhibition possible. Enchanté!" Lucrezia offered her hand and Santana happily shook it.

"Please, I didn't do anything..."

"Yes, you did," Brittany insisted with a loving smile. She turned her attention to the still vacant spots in the gallery and grimaced. "I don't mean to rush you all but we should really finish as soon as we can! We're kind of running late." She hurriedly grabbed another painting on the ground and tore in the opposite direction, Lucrezia skipping happily after her.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Santana offered softly.

"There are champagne bottles behind the desk over there. Take a drink and enjoy, darling!" Lucrezia playfully said, making a small gesture with her head to show Santana where to go as she and Brittany grabbed another large painting. "Okay, one, two... three!" They heaved.

"Britt, your rib..." Santana instinctively followed them, hands outstretched to take the weight of the painting from Brittany, worried it would aggravate her sweetheart's injury.

"Don't worry, babe... Okay I'm almost there... almost... Is that straight, San?"

Honestly, Santana didn't have a sharp eye like Brittany's and she was fully aware of this fact. "Hm... I don't know, I guess it is..." Brittany and Lucrezia laughed.

"It's your first exhibition I take it?" Lucrezia asked as they let go of the painting and admired it for a moment.

"Is it that obvious?" Santana giggled.

With one sharp move Brittany was able to adjust the painting just a few millimeters away from perfection. "Now it's good," she winked at Santana.

"How can you tell?" Santana wondered out loud.

"Eye of the tiger..." Brittany whispered jokingly. She stood behind Santana and held her tight, stroking Santana's arms as she looked at her painting, making sure everything was exactly how she'd envisioned. "What do you think of the exhibition? Do you like it?"

"Of course I do. This place is awesome, really."

"Well thank you, darling!" Lucrezia chortled from her spot a few meters away. "Now if you don't mind, I'll get myself a drink to celebrate. Yes, I know it's only 6pm but if my husband asks, it's only sparkling water. Understood, ladies?" She said this last bit with a wicked smirk.

Brittany and Santana nodded. They watched her go, softly giggling and sweetly embracing each other.

"She seems fun," Santana said brightly against Brittany's chest.

"She is. She's the best gallerist I've ever had actually. If only she wasn't married..." Brittany trailed off with an impish smile.

"Britt!" Santana would have poked her if it wasn't for that damn rib. She turned around to face her girlfriend instead and found the largest smirk on Brittany's lips.

"It's just _so _easy to make you jealous... Favorite game, handz downz."

"You're mean!" Santana said through her giggles.

"I love you and only you, don't you worry about that, sweetheart..." Brittany kissed her softly. "What about your day? How was it?" She inquired stroking Santana's face lovingly.

"Good," Santana whispered, her eyes taken by a certain darkness and her body tight and closed off.

"Why are you anxious then?" Brittany murmured knowingly.

"I'm not," Santana said quietly, half convinced. Brittany watched her, eyes flickering over the planes of her lover's face for an inkling into Santana's sudden stress. She flickered through all of their little conversations these past few days and made a sound of recognition that caught Santana's attention.

"You're anxious about me meeting your friends, aren't you?" Brittany said with knowing look.

"Can you all stop reading me like an open book? It's just rude!" Santana laughed, lips quirking and eyes brightening as they stared into two pools of shimmering blue.

Truthfully, at this moment, she was deeply regretting her own suggestion. She didn't need her girlfriend to meet her friends anymore… or anyone else for that matter. The two of them. Yeah. The two of them forever would be just fine. Why introduce her to anyone else? It wasn't like Quinn _needed _to meet Brittany officially or anything…

"It's gonna be fine Santana. Trust me, it'll be more than fine!" Brittany smiled widely, intertwining their fingers and swinging their arms playfully. "It's gonna be fun. I like you, they like you... I don't see why we shouldn't get along. I mean, we have massive common interests!" Santana's face was a blank mask as she stared back at Brittany, a frown slowly developing over her eyebrows. "Plus, they're gonna love my exhibition _so _bad. I mean, look at these masterpieces!" Brittany laughed, gesturing around grandly. "And even if they don't, Lucrezia will bribe them with awesome champagne and tomorrow I guarantee they won't even remember their own names."

"But you don't realize that-" Santana stopped herself, biting her lip to stop the words from spilling out.

"What? What don't I realize?" Brittany asked in a soft voice, the voice that always reassured Santana's worries until they evaporated into nothingness.

Santana looked away nervously. She had no other option but to admit how uncommonly attached she'd become to Brittany. "I've never introduced anyone to my friends or my family before," she whispered. "I don't know how to do stuff like that. It's completely new territory..."

"Hold on... anyone? Like, _ever_?" said Brittany around a confused smile.

"Nope..."

"No pizza/beer nights with your friends and girlfriend? No double-couples holidays?"

"Double-nope..." Santana worried her bottom lip between her teeth and hung her head.

"Holy shit," Brittany breathed out, truly dumbfounded. She had figured how attached Santana had become to her, but now she truly realized that just like she did, Santana thought she might be The One. A huge wave of relief ran down her spine and flashes of a future that had once been so uncertain solidified in Brittany's mind.

"See, that's what I'm talking about! It's fucking stressing me out!"

"I can believe that... But... How is that even possible? Sorry but... how?"

Santana blushed. "Well, I've never lo-"

She froze. She opened her mouth but the magic words simply _refused _to slip from her lips. She closed her eyes, focused on letting them out, and fought her own shyness as hard as she could. She thought briefly of all her girlfriends or, well, basically the random hookups that never meant anything. She thought about how empty her heart had been for so long. She'd never been tempted to say those words before, except maybe to her parents, or her puppy when she was a kid. Its true meaning sounded so far away, like she had all the time in the world to retain its superficial understanding. But about a girl, a beautiful woman like Brittany who was so brilliant and who Santana cared _so _much about... No, she had never felt this intensity in her heart before. Never. If she couldn't manage letting out an "I love you", at the very least she could let spill a "I've never loved anyone before", a shy and wicked way to start admitting her feelings out loud. But she felt so stuck, again.

She frowned and her eyes darted to the large glass windows, watching the traffic pass. "I've never..."

Brittany smiled, wide and thoughtful. It was written all over Santana's face and she knew her girlfriend was trying so hard to express herself but simply couldn't manage on her own. Brittany realized she'd have to nudge her along a little. "You've never what, Santana?" she teased softly.

The brunette shrugged, feeling even more lost and mute. "Never mind..." she ground out finally, immensely disappointed in herself.

Brittany pushed her into her hug and kissed her cheek. "Don't worry, I promise it's gonna be fine. Plus I barely know Quinn but at least I know all the stories you told me... I'll figure something out," she tried to erase Santana's miserable countenance with soft words and sweet smiles, peppering the latter's face with gentle pecks that elicited a beautiful smile.

The sound of heels drumming on the ground made them pull apart and turn. Lucrezia, bangles making a harmony of sounds as they banged and clanged off each other, skipped up to the couple while holding three flutes of champagne.

"Okay darlings, chaos approaches! I just received a call from the MoMa's curator's assistant! I managed to convince the boss to come and he's arriving in the next half hour. Come on sweethearts! A little pick-me-up before we climb into the ring!" She urged them to each grab a flute. "Come on, let's sell those little treasures! Bottoms up; to Brittany! "

"To Brittany." Santana offered her flute to clink and winked at her girlfriend.

Brittany laughed before downing the champagne in one gulp and it flew down her throat in refreshing bubbles. She straightened and gave Santana one last wink before overwhelming stress partnered with all the love she felt for her girlfriend started to kick in.

* * *

Santana played with the edge of her flute as she looked at her portrait and waited for her friends to arrive. She smirked at the little note at the bottom of the canvas: "_Your eyes glowing in the dark, 2012, oil on canvas, private collection._" When she had asked Brittany how much she'd sell this particular painting for, her girlfriend had burst into laughter saying someone _could _buy it, but only over her dead body. Nevertheless, Brittany had wanted the portrait to be part of the exhibition regardless. She kept telling Santana it was by far the best of the whole series and that it would be a huge mistake on her part if she didn't showcase it.

Flustered, Santana kept looking at it, lost in the exhibition's crowd, and making her fingertips scratch against the crystal of the glass.

Someone grabbed her shoulder. "Santana!"

She jumped and spun to find Quinn standing there with a brilliant and proud grin stretched across her flushed cheeks. "Hey!" Santana immediately pulled her into a hug, "God, I missed you!"

"Tell me about it!" Quinn laughed and pinched her cheek affectionately when they had pulled away. She glanced around them at the milling crowds of elegantly dressed artists and critics. "What a crowd! I spent five minutes looking for you!"

"Yeah, I was just staring at- Nevermind..."

Quinn looked at the portrait hung on the wall. "Is that... Is that you?" She caught sight of the growing blush on her friend's cheeks. "Aww, that's just too cute-"

"And last but not the least, my favorite actually," Brittany's voice sounded over the din as she lead a journalist through the crowd. She threw a little wink at Santana before resuming her speech. Quinn and Santana moved away a little to spy on the conversation and not interfere with Brittany's business. "I like the intensity of it. Besides I rarely paint three quarters profiles."

"Yes, that's what I thought. It's quite unusual from you." The man stared at the portrait, deep in thought and holding his chin.

"This one is all about intimacy. You can see all her emotions flowing on her face but you can't be sure though, since her face is hidden in the darkness-"

"I must admit this one is the most striking of all the series. Not that I don't like the rest but this one... There's something about it. You know, that little mysterious something that turns a painting into a masterpiece."

Brittany softly giggled, "It's the best compliment you could have given me actually. The person on this portrait means a lot to me so I'm glad you think I did her justice."

Santana took a sip from her flute to hide the growing giddy smile on her lips. Quinn poked her, trying to keep her own chuckles at bay.

"Well, I didn't say anything you didn't already know. It's pretty obvious!" He returned to his inspection but upon hearing a familiar laughter the man turned around. "Quinn! I didn't know you were coming. You could have let me know!"

"Hi David, it was a last minute plan," she said, kissing his cheek in greeting. Brittany frowned thoughtfully at the pair. She hadn't known Santana's friends could actually know journalists, especially not such important journalists.

"You could have told me she was working for the press," Brittany whispered lowly to Santana.

"I told you she was a book reviewer," Santana explained simply.

"God, you're my little god fairy or something..."

"Actually, I'm not working tonight, I'm visiting my friend Brittany," Quinn smirked and Brittany and Santana snapped to attention immediately at the subtle summoning. They both knew well that great relations made great publicity and that a little boost could always help.

"Oh, you know each other?" David said in surprise.

"Not for long I'm afraid, but her work is so amazing I couldn't help but sympathize with the genius!" Quinn made them all laugh.

"I can see that you know how to get the critics on your side, Miss Pierce!" The journalist told Brittany with a fond pat on the shoulder. "Anyway, as Quinn said, this exhibition is sheer genius! You can be assured to have a little something from me in next month's issue! Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'll go and talk with Lucrezia about that. Have a nice evening, ladies!" he said waving, and already weaving his way through the crowd.

Brittany let out a heavy breath, glad to have managed to get at least one paper on her exhibition. "Thank you..." She grabbed Santana's friend's hands and shook them vigorously and sincerity.

"Come on! That was nothing." Quinn said honestly. "You totally deserve it. This exhibition is incredible and this portrait... I have never seen my friend look so beautiful before!"

Santana looked on as her dearest friend and sweetheart started talking and exchanging pleasantries about the exhibition ... and about how great they both were for Santana; they smirked at her knowingly from time to time. She couldn't help but be silent while this occurred, believing that she was witnessing a sheer fantasy happen before her very eyes. Obviously, anything Brittany touched turned to gold and it had happened once more. Here were two of her very favorite people in the world actually getting along perfectly and naturally, like they'd always known each other. Santana's heart exploded into a million pieces. Yes, this was a kind of life she'd enjoy. Yes, Brittany had somehow found a way to marvelously come into every stratum of her life. Yes, Brittany was probably The One. But she remained mute, unable to share her feelings which felt too heavy for words.

"Earth to Santana!" Quinn shook her hand in front of her friend's eyes. "Brittany was wondering if we could all go watch that movie I talked to you about. You want to go?"

"Yeah, of course," she rejoined the conversation seamlessly, realizing how truly blessed she was when Brittany smiled at her adoringly.

"Brilliant! I adore the director. Have you seen "The Strangers" from him too?" Brittany inquired.

"Oh my god yes, that was breathtaking!"

"Totally!" Brittany laughed, thrilled that she and Santana's friend had so much in common. "Don't worry sweetheart, I'll hold your hand if you're too scared," Brittany nuzzled her cheek affectionately before being batted away.

"Hey! I'm no chicken! That last movie you made me see was completely nuts! It was all the movie's fault!" Santana tried to convince them, about two seconds away from succumbing to harsh and loud laughter.

"It's alright, you can still hold my hand. We'll say a tree got stuck in your eye if you start crying..." Brittany said mildly, faking indifference. Santana doubled over and her laughter grew contagious as Quinn giggled furiously into her champagne.

"Hey Santana! Quinn!" A woman shouted over the crowd's noise.

"Look, it's Suzie! Who's the man she's with?" Quinn commented, surprised to see their friend with a tall blond man they had never met before.

"I have no freakin' idea..." Santana murmured at Quinn with a quirked eyebrow.

"Who's Suzie?" Brittany asked shyly from between them.

"Oh! She's my coworker. Well, used to be. I brought her to a party once and since then she's stuck to the group," Santana softly explained. "You'll see, she's one of a kind."

"Hello, hello, my bitches!" Suzie exclaimed rambunctiously, her colourful personality highly contrasting with her luxurious outfit.

Santana cleared her throat to dampen her chuckles. "Hey Suzie, how's it going?"

"Oh very fine! I hope you don't mind, but since it seems to be our first annual "Meet your lover" party, I figured I could bring Evgeni..." She smirked. "He's Russian and barely speaks English but he does speak my language, if you know what I mean!"

"With you, we'd need a weekly "Meet your lover" party," Quinn coughed in jest.

"Still better than when I was doing it on a daily basis, sweetie!"

Santana and Quinn laughed and even Brittany was tempted to. Only formality, and the fact that the woman was still a stranger, prevented her. Her lover's friends seemed to all be so amazing and interesting, and this one seemed particularly hilarious.

"Suzie, Evge... or whatever, this is Brittany, my-"

Girlfriend? Girlfriend sounded like another name for booty call at this point. Partner? Partner in what? Partner in the crime of love maybe? But it lacked all the passion and love she felt for Brittany. Love? That was the word burning Santana's lips. All she wanted was to introduce Brittany as her love, her one and only love, but her lips seemed to be sealed by a sort of shyness even she had a hard time getting rid off.

"Your girlfriend, if I'm not mistaking," Brittany finished for her, smirking and fully aware of Santana's inner debate.

"Well _hi _Brittany! Very pleased to finally meet the so-called "incredible creature"," Suzie said, shaking her hand heartily. "I see she wasn't wrong-"

"Anyway!" Santana interrupted hurriedly, "I thought you were coming with the others."

"They're parking their cars. They're right outside-" Suzie had barely finished before her escort started to softly fool around with her and made her thrilling laugh had a few people turning to stare at her.

Santana locked eyes with Brittany, trying to read her expression. She could easily tell Brittany loved her friends already. A huge and sincere grin was stuck to her lips and her eyes were shining like two blue diamonds. Santana let out a relieved breath and for the first time since people had started to arrive, she grabbed Brittany's hand and held it strongly. Feeling the move, Brittany squeezed and took their hold to her lips. She put a small kiss on her fingers, so soft and delicate that it crushed Santana's heart in the sweetest pressure.

* * *

"I can't believe how incredible tonight was!" Brittany kept ranting as she undressed herself by her bed but huffed when the fastening of her dress gave her a hard time.

"Hold on, let me do it," Santana said quickly as she scooted across the bed to reach her girlfriend. She zipped her lover's dress down, and parted it, freeing her shoulders. She put a light kiss on Brittany's skin and cuddled her. "It was an amazing night, I had the best time, really."

"You really did?"

"Come on," Santana put her head on her shoulder and cuddled closer. "I'm so proud of you..."

Brittany smiled giddily. "Santana, I must say that I absolutely love your friends. Oh my gosh, that Suzie girl, she's hilarious! And Quinn, she's so sweet!"

"Yeah, they're my babes," Santana giggled sighing softly into Brittany's skin.

"We so should hang around with them more often. Do stuff together, I don't know..." Brittany thought out loud, brimming with excitement over the amazing night they'd been able to share. "I'm so glad you brought them over! It was so much fun in the middle of all this business. All these rich men in their suits are no fun at all... I don't know how you can work with people like that all day. I have three openings per year and it's more than enough for me!"

"Well, they're fun to yell at," Santana kidded, letting Brittany go to get rid of her own dress. "I'm going to take my makeup off, sweetheart," she said making her dress slide to the floor and putting her night clothes on.

"Okay." Brittany watched her go, following her with her eyes as Santana made her way to the bathroom.

It felt so good. Coming home like any other couple after such an incredible night. Her lover undressing by her bed as if it was her own, putting her earrings by reflex on the bedside cabinet as if she was at her own house. She knew that Santana had everything she needed in her bathroom; her favorite make-up brands and remover, her toothbrush, her hairbrush, even her skin care products, the ones she had bought double of so she didn't have worry if she had her stuff for the night. Bumping into Santana's spare clothes in her drawer, Brittany could smell her lovers perfume and couldn't help but adore the scent, especially when the brunette was away... She missed her so much already. Brittany adored how it sounded, living with Santana; one day soon, maybe in a few weeks or months, they'd end up moving in together. She already knew Santana would agree. She'd say it would reduce the waste of time they spent on the road going to each other apartments. But this would be a lie, a very clever lie to excuse Santana's excruciating need to come back home after work and see her already, every night and every morning.

Brittany pictured herself living this life, with Santana's sincerely amazing friends hanging at their house for a drink or a movie. She easily pictured herself painting while waiting for Santana to come home, cooking a amazing dinner for her girlfriend who would come back home exhausted after a grueling day. She'd hold her dozing sweetheart close in her arms and they'd sleep like that every single night.

Brittany loved her. But the world love was such an understatement... Brittany, a free spirited girl who was always daydreaming, always living an alternative reality through her paintings, was picturing herself living a normal and happy life. The kind of life she had despised for years, loudly proclaiming that she was a free human being and refused to ever being stuck in that kind of ruled, calm life. She would have pinched herself to wake up from this nightmare if it hadn't turned into the sweetest dream.

She stared at her own night clothes, perfectly laying on the bed, smooth and ready to be worn as she put her underwear of the day close to it. She looked at her bare stomach; there was such a tiny bruise left, some green maybe blue stains on her skin that seemed so superficial. Waiting for it to disappear was killing her. Santana would never touch her until it was all gone.

"Fuck it..." She whispered, already walking barenaked to the bathroom.

After all, she felt good. She felt like she was back on her feet despite the bruises coloring her bones. But more than anything, she missed Santana. For the weeks Santana had been living in her apartment, all she could think about was undressing her, cuddling her until every part of her would become sensitive, stroking her until a light and warm dew would cover her skin, until Santana would give her that very specific look that clearly stated "I need you now" without words.

Brittany pushed the half open door and slunk in, shy fingers making sure not to make it creak. Santana had just washed off her makeup and was finishing up the process of cleaning her face. Her hair was in a messy bun and freed from all her luxurious jewels. She was exactly how Brittany loved her the most, when she had taken her mask down, far from the powerful character she put herself through in front of people. She was just being herself, fresh and natural, without caring about seeming perfect for Brittany. They were sharing a level of intimacy that meant formality had just become wrong. The world could have crashed, earth could be shattering... None of it had any importance. All what mattered was both of them together in their bubble, where love could have replaced the blood flowing in their veins.

She stepped in and Santana smiled back at her in the large mirror.

"Fancy a shower?" Santana inquired, surprised to see Brittany nude. She quickly looked down. She longed to feel her again, so much so that she'd rather just not look at her, afraid to be tempted. She tidied her cotton discs to keep her mind busy.

Brittany didn't answer. She came closer and started to cuddle her from behind. She lightly kissed her neck, over and over again. Santana breathed loudly, no words were strong enough to say how bad she was missing her this way. She kept tidying around the sink, closing her skin care bottles and putting the cottons back in their box. Arms slid all around her waist and held her tight. She felt everything through the light material of her clothes; Brittany's breasts pressed against her back, hands stroking her stomach and hips, bare skin brushing her own naked thighs. Soft breaths tickled her ears. Brittany then undid Santana's bun to be able to run her fingers through her hair better.

"Brittany, please..." She pleaded holding onto the sink tightly.

"I love you," Brittany kissed her shoulder. She breathed in as if she was inhaling the most amazing drug. "I love the way you smell." She kissed her again. "I love how soft your skin is." She lifted Santana's shirt a bit and stroked the bare skin of her hip."I love the way you walk, always lightly bouncing your hips," she said softly, laughing softly against Santana's skin.

Santana let one shy hand fall from the sink to caress Brittany's thigh. She still could do that, it wouldn't mean they had to go any further. She had reason but with Brittany playing so unfairly... Her reason could expect some troubles ahead.

The blonde stroked higher and with more purpose. "I love the way you snuggle against me every night. You always curl your hand over my breast, right against my heart. Sometimes, it beats so strong I'm afraid you'll realize it and it'll wake you up, but I can't help it. I love you so much that it beats all the time. When you're away, it might dry up 'cause I miss you too much. When you're around, I fear it's going to drown. There's just way too much love flowing in..."

Santana closed her eyes and kept stroking tenderly. She knew she wouldn't be able to stop herself from kissing her if she turned around. Safety over Brittany's condition would be forgotten before they'd even realize it and she was afraid of the consequences if something went wrong.

But how hard it was, when Brittany was breathing paradise against her ears, when she was pouring her heart this way. The more they would wait, the more the love would set everything on fire. Safety, reason, schedule... It would all go to hell. How good it was to feel this passion burning again, this desperate need for each other taking over everything. More than making love, it was about their feelings being intimately released in a storm of tenderness.

"I love every little piece of you, the way you took care of me, the way you made me happy every single day we spent together-" Santana turned around and crashed their lips together, stealing all the air from Brittany's lungs, kissing her as if there was no tomorrow. Pulling away to get some air back, Brittany held Santana's face to finish her monologue, looking deep in her eyes. "I'll love you in three hours, three days, three weeks... Three months..." _Three years _scalded both their minds, both sure it would happen this way. "I just want to show you the way you make me feel, an endless ecstasy. Please... I love you. I just love you so much..." she let out in a whisper.

Reduced to silence, Santana started to tremble from all the love setting her whole body in a trance. She breathed heavily, taking Brittany's words the best she could without exploding into millions of butterflies. She felt so stupid to have been reduced to this caged silence. Even after Brittany's marvelous declarations, even after a promise of a future together, her lips remained miserably sealed. She prayed for a miracle to happen, to any kind of gods willing to help her... But as her heart was sinking into a sea of love, her mind felt like a gilded cage.

Refilling her lungs with a large gulp of air to get some courage, she pulled away a little to take her shirt off, offering both her body and soul to Brittany's mercy. In no time, Brittany assailed her neck, her collarbone, her shoulder with wet kisses. She was being held so tight, Brittany's bare body crashing against her own... The sweetest sensation.

"I love you", Brittany kept repeating softly, only making Santana's silence even more painful.

Santana hadn't the same power over her words like Brittany, but the wish to finally hear those words from her own mouth started to take over on her desires. It would be no new information; the way her lips were trembling, the way her body was shaking with desire made it very clear about how furiously she loved Brittany back. The sweet race of seduction that had started months ago seemed to lack some closure without those words. Something was missing before they could fully enjoy a life together. After having chased her heart, Brittany couldn't keep herself from starting chasing after those words either.

"I love you..." Brittany almost pleaded, whispering the sweet words against her lips.

Distress written all over Santana's face, she made her underwear slide along her legs and stepped out of it. She curled against Brittany, feeling so uncomfortable with herself. At least she knew once she'd be against her, her mind would no longer be filled with anything other than bliss.

"Take me, _please_..." Surrender filled her murmurs, burning her tongue.

Brittany let out a deep moan tangled in the midst her loud breathing. Relieved, she pushed Santana against the sink and made her lips dance to the sound of the sweetest melody. When she realized she wouldn't be able to hold her up on the sink for long - probably still a bit weak from the injury - Brittany helped Santana slide down.

That night, Brittany wouldn't succeed at obtaining the very expected words, but being back together this way after weeks of shortage would make up for it. That night, it would take hours before they would leave the white carpet of Brittany's bathroom, before their lips would be almost swollen from too much kissing and their bodies would feel complete with ecstasy.

* * *

_**To Quinn:  
**I'm so freaking fucked up Quinn..._

_**To Santana:  
**__What happened?_

_**To Quinn:  
**__I can't manage to tell her that I... you know..._

_**To Santana:  
**__Did she tell you herself?_

_**To Quinn:  
**__Of course she did... Dozens times, and she even freaking gave me a full declaration last night. But no, Lopez is fucked up so Lopez can't say it. Kill me now, please._

_**To Santana:  
**__Awww boo, cute!_

_**To Quinn:  
**__No, it's not! It's so fucking lame! Why can't I say it? Seriously, why can't I just let it go? I'm so freaking stuck, I feel like shit..._

_**To Santana:  
**__If you can't say it, then it's meant to be like that... Is she hurrying you or something? Is she mad at you for that?_

_**To Quinn:  
**__No... Not at all, but still... What's wrong with me?_

_**To Santana:  
**__Then honestly, don't get too hard on yourself! It'll come whenever you'll feel ready :)_

Santana stood up from her armchair and paced in the middle of her office, feeling incredibly lame and ridiculous.

_**To Quinn:  
**__But I'm ready! I just don't know why it's so fucking stuck in my throat whenever I want to say it!_

Right when the text was delivered, Quinn called her.

"He-"

"_Say it."_

"What?"

"_Say it to me." _

"I'm not going to tell you that," Santana laughed, looking around the room awkwardly in case some poor unfortunate coworker happened to barge in.

"_Well, you can't even say it to me, so I think you're obviously not ready. I hope you can manage to tell a friend, at least your **best **friend, Santana." _

"I _am_ ready, for God's sake! The problem is somewhere else but I don't know where!"

"_Bullshit. Say it."_

"Stop it!" She paced even more, one hand running through her hair frustratedly.

"_Come on, say: I - Love - You,_" Quinn pronounced very clearly as if she was talking to a child.

"Oh fuck off, Fabray, I'm not 15 anymore!"

"_Then stop, behave like! I - Love - You,"_ she repeated and met Santana's silence. _"The Great Lopez can't even do such a simple thing? Really?" _She was trying to push her and even Santana knew it was still incredibly irritating. _"Who are you? A coward?" _

Anger started to taint Santana's mind. She was angry at Quinn for having backed her in this corne but mostly, she was angry at herself because, if she was being honest, Quinn was right.

"_I - Love - You, come on!"_ Quinn almost shouted over the line. Santana stared at her feet. _"Okay, let's try another way, "I love her? How does that sound?"_

"I..."

"_Think about how good she is to you, how wonderful you might think she is, the way she touches you, the way she kisses you."_

Santana thought about crying because of how hard such a simple and random thing was. People say "I love you" everyday, why couldn't she? Why were those words so sacred to her mind? Why?

"_Think of how you're going wake up to her every morning, fall asleep in her arms every night. When we'll all go out together, how she'll merge with your past to create a future-"_

"I love her..." She let out, barely audible to even herself. Only the furious pounding on her heart was testimony to the fact she had said it.

"_What did you just say? I didn't hear anything!"_

"I love her."

"_No really, the service is so bad, I don't hear a damn thing!" _

"I love her! I love her, okay?" Santana screamed deliriously almost laughing, feeling terribly relieved as the words finally hung in the air.

"_What are you going to tell her when you'll go home tonight?"_

"I don't see her tonight, she's worki-"

"_Santana, God! What are you going tell her next time you see her?"_

"That I love her?"

""_That I love her?" But she'll say, "Who darling, who do you love, is there someone else? Are you breaking up with me?" _

Santana laughed at her friend's exuberant tone, filling her with hope, "I love you, I'll say "I love you"..."

"_The Great Lopez is back in the ring! Watch your asses, man... There's gonna be some massive ass kicking!"_

"Oh my god, I hate you so bad, Fabray," Santana breathed out through her giggling.

"_Don't mean to be rude, but you'd be nothing without me. Anyway, on these marvellous declarations of love, I'll go torture some other lovers if you don't mind!" _

"Thanks Quinn, you're always so right."

Quinn laughed,_ "You'd be nothing without me!" _

"Nah, I meant you're such a torturer. K, bye!"

She laughed even more, _"Love ya, bitch!" _The line went dead.

Relieved, Santana was all too happy to at least said it to Quinn. She wished Brittany was here now that she had this courage filling her heart thanks to her friend. She felt somehow ready, like someone had trained her. She thought about calling Brittany and finally bestowing upon her the precious words while she was still under the effect of Quinn's determination.

But Brittany deserved better, much better than a phone call.

"I love you," she repeated for herself, trying to get accustomed to the magic words. "I love you, I love you, I love you." She played all the different scenarios in her mind during which she could finally grant Brittany's dearest wish. Brittany softly waking up, "Good morning sweetheart, I love you." Brittany giving her something, "Thanks honey, I love you." The more she repeated the words and trained herself, the more her voice gained strength and her smile grew larger. Brittany coming back home, "Hey Britt, I love you!" She giggled at her own silly behavior.

As the clock on the wall rang the time to leave the office for the afternoon, she packed her stuff cheerfully. Her schedule wasn't particularly exciting and she would be on her own all night. She hadn't been alone in weeks so she had pretty much no idea of what to do with herself anymore. What was the point of cooking herself a meal when Brittany wasn't around to taste it? Why watch a movie if she couldn't share her comments with her? Not to mention sleeping alone... It was just sad. She would just end up in front of TV, probably pass out on the couch hoping the night would go by quickly.

However, she was tremendously happy because she finally pictured some closure to her miserable problem. She'd keep training herself at work, praying for her courage to stick for whenever she'd be around the woman who stole all her words. She skipped through the department's hallways, waving goodbye at people, cheerful and light on her feet. Tomorrow would be a brand new day, a day closer to the time she'd let out her own "I love you". It was good news, it was worth being excited about it.

Driving to her own place, she daydreamed endlessly. Sometimes she chuckled, remembering something funny Brittany might have said, smiling giddily and detailing her loves natural beauty in her mind all over again. She pulled herself together each time the traffic lights turned green and she sped through the dark night, only giving her mind a five minutes break before resuming her reverie.

Once home, she parked in her usual place. It almost felt weird to come back this way. Over the weeks, she had only came back to grab her mail or a fresh change of clothes, and to water the plants. It was a strange feeling to "come back home" when "home" was now synonymous with Brittany. She stepped into the elevator, almost wondering which floor she was supposed to go. Once in her hallway, she looked for her keys in her bags and flipped through the bunch without finding the right key. She guessed it was lost in the middle of all her keys, the office's, Brittany's, her garage, her cellar... It was indeed a great bunch but God, would she have forgotten what _her_ place's key looked like already? Really? Astonished by her own ridiculousness she kept flipping through the bunch, grumbling. She made her way to her door checking each key one after the other, deducing at last that it actually might be missing.

"Damn! Where is this fucking key?" She checked her bunch once again right in front her door. It seemed to be really missing. Shrugging, she wondered where the hell she could have put it even if it sounded totally absurd. It had been clipped to the rest and she wasn't known to take any of her keys out of their ring. When she finally looked up, a small note was folded and hung on her door. Intrigued, she took it off and read.

_I know how to paint, I know how to make love... And I sure know how to love you. Come in._

She grinned from ear to ear as she read Brittany's handwriting. Suddenly feeling increasingly warm, Santana turned the handle of her own door as if she was about to visit the place for the first time. Immersed in the dark once the door closed, she could barely see a thing. She tried to turn the lights on unsuccessfully.

She hummed a thoughtful note. "Brittany? Are you here?"

There was no reply. No sound. She looked for the lamp by her cabinet expecting its usual bright light but the bulb had been changed and now barely gave a dim light. Turning around, she felt a sheet of paper creasing under her foot. She gasped when she realized she had just stepped on one of Brittany's hidden portraits of her. There were some messy words printed on the side. Aware of Brittany's playful temperament, she knew it was only the beginning of something bigger. She put her bag down, placed her keys on the table and grabbed the sheet.

_Day 2. How embarassed am I to have you around helping me... But in the meantime, having my muse around is an endless fantasy. Does that make it up for the embarrassment?_

Santana checked the carpet and found a trail of drawings showing a path through her own apartment. Giggling lovingly, she followed the quiet instructions of her own portraits and picked up the next one.

_Day 3. The more I look at you, the more your features look like perfection offered for me to draw. _

_Day 7. I dread this moment every day._ She looked closer. It was a drawing of her leaving the apartment, dress tight and heels high, passing the entrance door. Heavy breathing started to shake her ribcage and she pressed her fingers lightly to her lips.

_Day 7, bis. A week locked together in here all day. I'm thinking about when you'll have to go back to work, I'll have to go back to the theatre, and how this wonderland is going to end and we'll have to go back to full weeks away from each other. I'm sad._

_Day 12. Four letters don't represent love when it looks like you_.

_Day 15. Yesterday you killed yourself at work and you passed out in my arms as soon as we layed in bed. I couldn't find any sleep, watching you dreaming was a much more interesting occupation..._

Santana had barely made her way through the entrance and was already on the verge of crying, her heart growing but still too small to contain all of her feelings.

"Brittany? Where are you... Don't hide, please..."

As she tackled the corridor leading to all the other rooms, she attempted to light it up by tickling the switch but it staunchly remained in darkness. She caught sight of another lamp Brittany must have set on the ground just to make her plan perfect. She bent to turn it on, chuckling when she discovered that the path kept going along the carpet.

_Day 17. "We draw the spring into our hearts, and feel that life is good." O. Wilde. Reading love poems today because I drew too many portraits of you this morning. My hand is sore._

_Day 26. I'm feeling trapped in this broken body forbidding me to grace your soul with ecstasy. Can someone drown themselves in their own frustrations? My heart is sinking into my longing desire._

"Brittany, please... Where are you..." Santana had hard time following the path, step by step, drawing after drawing, knowing her sweetheart was probably hiding somewhere waiting for her. She had to keep going through the sheets. Actually, she didn't know if she wanted to disobey Brittany's plan and desperately look for her or resign herself to the fate Brittany had chosen for her. "Oh Brittany..." She begged out loud, stepping closer to the next and last drawing in the corridor

_Day 36. I'll soon be able to feel you again. I'm counting the days before my pain will completely disappear, when this strain will only be a far away nightmare. When I'll make your cheeks color with that shade of red you stole from the most beautiful roses... When I'll hold you so strongly that there will be no room between us anymore, not even clothes, not even air... Just you and me melting into pure relief and delight. Come back to me this way already..._

Breathing heavily as love drummed in her chest, she looked around and faced three closed doors. She looked for the clue Brittany must have set somewhere as she tried to quieten her thrilled mind to the best of her ability. The corner of another sheet barely showed under the wood of a door. Her hands shaking, she turned the handle and grabbed the sheet.

_Day 67, today. Finally! The desperate look sticking to your glance, the way you pull my hair, the way you hold me close... The heat showing through your skin, all soft and silky... Your cries of rapture tingling in my ears... Oh my dear Santana, I just love you so much. I love you so tenderly..._

She took a deep breath, pushing the emotions that wanted to erupt back in. She took another to calm down her shaking shoulders. Before her, the bedroom was clouded in darkness too, with only the light of a candle blowing on her bedside cabinet. It hardly provided any light but it did illuminate the paper sheet set by it. She looked around but it was so dark it just made looking redundant. And anyway, it was the last stop and she had to give it justice. She walked straight to the small altar set for her only. Trembling, she took the sheet, a letter written in black ink on white paper, clear and proud, and then she held the candle to read it better.

_Day 67, 5pm. I just resigned from the theatre. I can't stand the thought of being kept away from you all week just because our schedules don't agree. Besides, I don't need it anymore since I have you. I want to drag all the inspiration I need from you by night, only to distill it by day by painting you, over and over again. Some will call it craziness. I call it love. It wouldn't be the first an artist needs the person they live with as their only inspiration. Am I mad? Probably. But if madness comes out of love, that makes it acceptable, right? _

_Love at first sight, it doesn't give you the choice. It's not like you could just deny it, push it away from your mind until it goes away. It sticks right in your chest, drumming, beating, crashing in your heart until you accept your fate... and just live this dream, hoping morning never comes. Let me love you in the darkness, all lights off, curtains closed, so we can live the illusion of endless nights together. Reality can hit us at dawn. But I'm certain, deep in my soul, that an eternal summer will adorn my days with you by my side, keeping us warm and protected from the winter of the heart._

"Brittany..." She let out in a barely audible whisper.

Her shaking hands made the sheet tremble like a leaf in the wind. As she fought some happy tears back, she put the candle down carefully. So many people had told her they loved her in the past. Many girlfriends had tried to bribe her with declarations but Brittany... She'd transcended all of their attempts, all previous understandings of the word. Brittany was right, she had no other choice than to live this bliss and perhaps this was why Santana felt so stuck. It wasn't about childish relationships anymore, she was holding her fate in her hands and was struggling to find a way to deal with it. She hadn't the same freedom as Brittany, the same skill at letting things go. It was probably the biggest challenge of her life.

"Oh Brittany..." She murmured as a tiny tear graced the corners of her eyes as she closed them softly.

"You don't have to say anything," she heard Brittany whisper against her ear while wrapping her arms tightly behind her. "We don't need words when your body talks for you." Santana attempted to turn around but Brittany kept her from doing so, holding her strongly but protectively.

Her heart scalded by love, declarations, tears and overwhelming joy, Santana knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was nothing but Brittany's. She was at a point where she didn't care about anything except being with Brittany. Just being with her and held by her. A poor little thing in love huddling up in Brittany's arms... Anything the blonde would do to her would surpass her best imagination. She trusted her from her deepest self, body and soul.

Santana closed her eyes once more as she let Brittany do whatever she wanted to her. She let her girlfriend undress her, soft fingers undoing the buttons of her shirt, slowly, taking her sweet time. Brittany made the shirt slide along her arms and fall to the floor. Brittany graced Santana's shoulders with a few kisses, taking a path down her neck as she unzipped the offending skirt and threw it away. Brittany embraced her tight, arms encircling her waist and her breast as she lead her to the bed.

Snuggling even closer, Santana felt terribly fragile, as if her soul itself was being undressed from the cage it had been trapped in for so long. She'd become a simple marionette hooked to Brittany's hands, incapable of receiving pleasure without her girlfriend's tenderness. She was powerless and for the first time in her life Santana decided that if she were to be powerless for anyone, it would be Brittany.

Brittany sweetly caressed her jaw, motioning to Santana that she could turn away if she wanted to. Santana twirled at Brittany's first gesture and drank her own surrender from Brittany's lips without preamble. She curled up in her arms, the hug softened even more by the fluffy material of Brittany's bathrobe. The blonde made her fall on the bed and with a few choices moves, Santana's bra disappeared. Santana then attempted to free one of her lover's shoulders from the heavy yet silky clothing, but her hands were pushed away. She didn't complain. If there was one thing she knew about Brittany, it was that her plan would always be better than her own. Her games, her challenges, and her tricks were always beyond surprising, leading both of them in a place were rapture itself sounded dull. Breathing deeply and shallowly, Brittany glanced at her, smirking right before her lips started to draw on the olive skin and down to paradise. Fingertips dancing on her hips made Santana lift them up. Her underwear quickly followed.

Santana gazed down at her girlfriend as Brittany took a comfy position between her thighs. She had wanted her, desired her before, but with her heart drumming so fiercely and her body already on fire, her need was now far beyond the reach of lust after such a perfect declaration of love. Brittany must have understood her excruciating need since she immediately started to lightly kiss the soft skin of Santana's body, reverently and adoringly.

Meanwhile, Santana was dying to touch her. She ran her fingers through Brittany's hair as the blonde started to unroll the red carpet leading to her tremendous release. She couldn't stop looking at the blonde hair tickling her skin and at the lips that couldn't stop kissing her core. She was melting, mentally, physically... Brittany kept stroking her legs, her hips, her stomach, warming everything with her touch as if she wasn't already a living pyre. And her trembling lungs didn't help at all. Her lips were drying since her breathing was growing deeper and deeper, starting to burn her throat. Her body seemed to suffocate under too much love. She started to moan, trying to find release somewhere.

"Hold on a little longer..." Brittany whispered resuming her sweet dance over Santana's center.

Santana locked their eyes. She hadn't any other choice than try to contain her moans and try to remain silent. It was obvious that if she allowed herself to truly express how she was feeling at this very moment, she'd come undone way too fast and way too soon. She swallowed thickly to wet her burning throat so she could keep breathing loudly and when Brittany speeded up, she couldn't hold in a deep whimper before going back to the wheezing sound of her lungs pleading for air. Her legs started to tremble and she keened.

"Do you trust me?" Brittany breathed out hoarsely after a last kiss. She dried her lips on Santana's hips, grazing the sensitive skin with a few more kisses. Santana froze, even more flustered as her core clenched for more, and mostly for some coming closure. She waited for Brittany to explain herself as the blonde slunk up her body and held her once more in her arms. "I want to be able to hold you and kiss you at the same time... I wish I could make love to you while doing that."

With Santana's whimpers almost soundless and her breaths barely slowing, she tried to read in Brittany's blue diamonds what she had in mind. She kissed her deeply, hoping to get an inkling or a look into Brittany's mind. Her lips tasted like the most addicting drug and with a moan Santana nodded to Brittany's tantalizing proposition.

"Do you really trust me, my love?" She murmured, staring deep in her eyes.

Santana whimpered, shaken by her own core craving for the loving to resume. "Yes..." She abandoned herself even more through another long lasting kiss.

Taking this as an absolute confirmation, Brittany slid one of her hands out of their hold to untie the bathrobe belt. Santana's eyes followed the gesture, dying to know what was about to come. She let out a stunned moan when she felt a soft yet cold hard material fall on her inner thigh, hidden by the heavy clothes. Brittany locked their glances, studying her every reaction. Taken by surprise, Santana went to shyly touch the new addition to their lovemaking, needing a clear idea of what was happening. She followed the hard shape until she felt the rough material straps drawing a web on Brittany's hips and rear under her fingers. She closed her eyes, taking a minute to think straight as her hand froze over the straps tantalizingly dressing Brittany's skin.

She had never done this with anyone before, hadn't even thought about it. She had never trusted anyone enough to reach such an intimacy. In a way, she believed Brittany had never either and that it was all for her, all about the love Brittany felt for her and that she had so marvelously shared a few instants before.

Brittany stole a kiss to draw her back to reality. As Santana laid her eyes on Brittany's sweet smile, she understood that her girlfriend would never push her into doing this if she wasn't ready. However, it was obvious that Brittany was challenging her to live their love, even if she was incapable of saying the words. Somehow, Brittany was begging Santana to show how much she loved and trusted her, using something other than words to speak. Taking the plunge, Santana let her fingers shyly fall back against the hard shape and brought it closer to her own entrance.

Brittany offered her widest smile as she got rid of the bathrobe. Caught in the action, Santana hurriedly helped her, thrilled to finally be allowed to stroke her back, her silky skin, and her warm body. As Brittany dragged her down on the mattress to get a better position, Santana turned her head away, eyes closed so as not to be tempted to look down. She spread her legs a little wider and then bit her lip, trusting her lover to achieve what she was the best at: giving her breathtaking rapture.

With a very tender slowness, Brittany pushed in, taking her time so as not to be brusque with her. She was doing it so fondly Santana thought it would always be like this: Brittany would always make love to her with a wild passion, and roughness always kept out of the frame. Reassured by her lover's respect and affection, she started to lightly sway so she could get accustomed to the sweet stranger. Brittany went to grace her neck with feather light kisses, sliding her arms under her to stroke her back and get strength by leaning on her elbows through the hug. Santana adjusted herself into comfortable position for the both of them also, holding Brittany close and kissing her neck, her jaw and her lips tenderly. When Santana's breathing indicated she was actually getting very well accustomed, Brittany chanced to pull out a little and very slowly, pushed back in.

Santana threw her arms around Brittany desperately, needing to merge their bodies together. They were hardly a few millimeters apart from each other and she felt safe. As Brittany lead them in an extremely soft pace, the world around started to disappear. They had talked or daydreamed many times about what they called their "bubble of love", that feeling sticking to their hearts that, when together, nothing else than the both of them together mattered. Right now this, "bubble of love" had never felt more concrete. Wedged against the mattress and feeling so full, Santana couldn't picture anything else than their bodies tangled. The world could fall apart right by around them and she wouldn't even realize it, too lost in everything _Brittany_. It felt as if they were a whole universe on their own, a sun created by their warm hearts in unison.

The rhythm was marvelously regular, a perfect tempo to welcome their singing souls. Santana copied it with her own breathing, swallowing once in a while to save her panting throat from the pyre. Brittany helped her cope by giving her wet kisses, fighting the dryness of her mouth as pleasure obviously started to flow and ebb in. There was hardly a moan escaping the brunette's lips. They were so close, so intimately wound together, that they felt any sound would deafen them. The trembling breasts under Brittany's were telling a story of the pleasure Santana's was experiencing. As she pushed in and out, always with the same perfect and soft pace, she felt the tanned breasts under her start to rise and fall in rhythm. She kept going until Santana began to fully rock with her, her every motion filled with a growing confidence.

Giving herself body and soul; this statement had never felt more real than now. Santana felt Brittany's love reach to the deepest reaches of her soul. Softly, tenderly, Brittany maintained her in a state where her body was heating dangerously every second, but the slow pace condemned her to a long wait before reaching ecstasy. She knew that Brittany was surpassing herself. The satisfying pleasure she was already feeling was only the beginning. She didn't know what to expect, but her delight was already far beyond anything she could have dreamed up. She was traveling on a foreign terrain, which only Brittany knew the nature of.

Brittany gave her a kiss that was deeper than the others, like she was requesting her attention. "Does it feel good?"

Santana nodded, incapable of speech. The way her lips trembled, the way her eyes frowned with pleasure, Brittany had confirmation that what she was doing had already smashed all of Santana's expectations or fears. Reassured, she sped her pace.

Taking the new rhythm, Santana lost control over her breathing. Brittany had taken her by surprise and had let her no time with which to get accustomed to the new tempo. The fact she had lost all power made her surrender even more realistic. Now, Brittany - and Brittany only - would be in charge of Santana's body. Unable to gain control of her breathing in a bid to regain some control, Santana started to alternate between shallow tremors and deep painful gulps to refill her lungs with air. She was half afraid to die from too much sensual pleasure. She felt so hot that her hair started to stick to her sweaty skin, and she felt a drop of sweat run between her breasts, probably the first of many. Every aspect of her body indicated that she was in for an unprecedented orgasm. She clenched Brittany's shaft even tighter; the only way left she felt she could fight back against the storm of emotions she was under. She dug her nails in the skin of Brittany's back and curled up against her, resting her head in the crook of her neck.

She was obviously trying to find her own rhythm through the pushes. Thrilled to see Santana responding so well, Brittany decided to be pitiless. She knew Santana wouldn't be able to get any control back, and she figured the best way to not let her reach her release too soon was to break any and all rhythm. She alternated between powerful slow strokes and sometimes deep fast ones in which Brittany gave it her all. As she crashed her lips with Santana's, the brunette expressed all the love she had through desperate and almost quiet whimpers against her girlfriend's mouth.

Inside, Santana was crying, sobbing really. Happy tears were flooding her soul; never would she have ever imagined that someone could be so good to her. Affectionately, physically, lovingly. It was such a strong bond that no one could have ever imagined it or even described it to her. Not even a fraction of it, it was much too powerful. Such things could only be lived. It was far from a simple romance; it was a spiritual life changing experience. Santana could have never guessed so much pleasure could befall her, could actually exist on earth. It was unimaginable.

She didn't know where her orgasm was hiding, but she could feel it and it was already mocking her. It promised to be groundbreaking from the way her body kept shaking and trembling, her breathing drying her throat and her mouth as if she was terribly parched. She would never be the same after this night. This would change everything.

"How do you do this to me..." Santana said in such a small voice it sounded like a cry.

Brittany sped up even more, wider pushes that made Santana throw her head back, shaken by soundless cries. The brunette hurriedly folded her legs around Brittany's waist, one last attempt at keeping her body from falling apart, unsuccessfully. Brittany's determination, reinforced by Santana's desperate words, didn't fail at all. Renewed with thrilling vigor, she took the deepest, fastest pace she could despite Santana's inner walls trembling and contracting so strongly.

Santana actually wondered if someone could possibly survive such a load of pleasure. Her mind was destroyed by a tornado of colorful butterflies, her heart seemed to have already exploded from too much passion. She felt her every muscle tense, even the ones she didn't even know existed, and warmth flew like a river on her moist skin. She realized love at first sight was a pact with the devil. Never... ever, would she be able to come back from this.

"I love you!" She managed to cry between her hectic breaths, hopeless to ever regain the person she'd once been before meeting Brittany, "I fucking love you!" She sobbed out.

Brittany forcefully pulled her down on the mattress and pushed in as deeply as she could to give Santana the reward she deserved; her release. Her wild pushes were so good, so perfect, that Santana had to let go of their embrace to hold onto the wall behind them, crying her orgasm in the wildest way she had ever done before. After a particularly intense push, she lost grip of everything, the wall behind, her legs around Brittany... She could only shake hectically as her lungs lost all capacity to function. She froze, only animated by her cries.

Emptied from all energy, Brittany fell on her, completely washed out. In the dark room, only their mad breathing could be heard. Only their heat brought some kind of light.

Brittany felt incredibly light. Her plan had worked just fine. The only thing she wanted was to offer the physical bond equaling the one of their hearts. She had promised herself to offer Santana the chance to live their love freed from any inhibition, fear or shyness. All she had wanted was to try and drive Santana into a corner and then maybe... Santana would get release for her mind, that she had seemed incapable of finding on her own: to finally speak what had weighed in both of their hearts for so long.

Powering through the exhaustion, Brittany raised her head and gazed at Santana, still disconnected from reality, still trembling, and still hectically breathing. She stroked her cheek with her nose, such a small gesture that could probably go unnoticed, but considering the fire still licking at Santana's skin , it made her whimper even more.

"I love you too," Brittany said softly, hushed and reverent.

Santana started to giggle and it soon turned into full on laughter. She was in such another world, she could only share intense emotion. Her love stroked her again, and she tried to open her eyes.

As thrilled mocha eyes stared back, Brittany teased, "Repeat to me what you just said."

The brunette laughed even more, as if that was even possible, laughs coming from the deepest recess of her heart. "I love you. I said that I love you."

* * *

That's a wrap! For those following me on Tumblr, you guys know how painful it was to deliver this friggin chapter XD I hope I did it justice though!  
Some asked for sequels or epilogues... I won't do a sequel for sure, but I'm still debating for a little epilogue, just for fun. Shout in the reviews if it's something you're looking forward or not. It's the only way for me to know if I should write it or not :)

Thank you all for reading this story. I hope it gave you great joy :) Other stories will be coming, so alert my profile if you don't want to miss them ;) Have a nice Sunday night everyone :)

Also, many thanks to my betas, Rach and Nessie. You are awesome :)

Em.


	13. Epilogue

"Honeys, I'm home!" Santana shouted, un-shouldering her coat as she entered the apartment.

Little steps drummed on the ground and she barely had time to take off her own shoes and turn around, before she caught sight of a little girl rushing down the corridor. Her daughter torpedoed to her like a missile, dressed in a shirt with dozens of paint stains on it and with alarmingly dirty hands covered in paint.

"Mama, mama, mama!" The little girl ranted joyfully with the firm intention to crash against her mom and receive a hug.

"Charlie, no!" Brittany was hot at the little girl's heels, racing to keep the worst accident this household could ever know from happening… getting paint on Santana's designers clothes. The horror.

Santana froze as Charlie neared, picturing the worst and unable to do anything against the inevitable as she saw her life flash before her eyes. Her daughter couldn't possibly smile any more widely, her little hands literally _dripping _in paint. Santana counted the last seconds before her life would tragically and unmercifully end. In other words, before huge pink stains would forever become an unwanted pattern on her Gucci suit. Uncleanable stains on 800 dollars worth of clothing.

"Charlotte Lopez-Pierce, I said _no_!" Brittany shrieked, catching the little girl around the waist. They were running so fast that Charlotte flew in the air, laughing as Brittany cornered her in her arms. "You're a bad girl. I said no running when you have paint on your hands!"

"But Mama's home!"

"I don't care! No painting for you until next week," she scolded. She grabbed the little girl's hands in her own messy hold to be sure she wouldn't touch anything, especially not her extremely relieved and well dressed mom who'd just returned from work.

Santana sighed heavily, realizing her life and, more importantly, the life of her suit hadn't ended just yet.

"Hey babe," Brittany let out in the struggle with Charlie and bent to give Santana a kiss. Charlotte squirmed to free her hands and hug her mama too. "Charlie stop, I won't say it a third time," Brittany threatened softly.

"Baby, you're in for a good bath!" Santana joked as she kissed her daughter's forehead, despite the struggling.

"I want Mama to give me my bath!" Charlotte demanded.

"I will, I will... I just have to slip into comfy clothes first. I'll give you a hug once you're clean, okay?" Santana propositioned.

"Yes Mama," Charlotte nodded with a huge smirk and her mother's' eyed each other warily at the sight.

"No tricks Charlie, you promise?" Brittany asked as she considered whether putting the girl down was a good idea.

"Yes! No hug before bath!"

"Okay, good." Brittany dropped her to her feet. "Come on, climb in the bathtub and don't touch anything!" She ordered, tapping her daughter's shoulder and pushing her towards the bathroom. The moms watched their thrilled daughter run through the corridors with her hands raised above her head.

"You're early!" Brittany said at last when Charlie had rounded a corner.

"Yeah, I had a headache so I left," Santana explained with a smile.

"Aw hon, I can give her the bath, you know."

"Nah it's fine, I missed her yesterday," Santana said, already heading to the bedroom to change.

Santana's schedule was hectic at best and manic on most occasions. She left home early only to come back late. She hated it, hated the chaos that meant she barely had time to swallow a quick breakfast with her family and, to add insult to injury, when she got back home Charlotte was usually already asleep. And that was exactly what had happened the day before.

"Okay," Brittany agreed giving her a small kiss.

"What were you painting anyway?"

"Oh nothing... I just kept her busy," Brittany explained with a shrug gesturing to the kitchen where it was obvious they had been painting. "I'll just go clean it up, okay?"

"Yeah, sure," Santana said with a fond smile, grabbing their bedroom handle.

Brittany smirked and jogged hurriedly to the kitchen. Santana frowned. Brittany was always so cool and relaxed. It wasn't like her to hurry for something as trivial as cleaning, not even in the slightest. She usually went with the flow and Santana instantly became suspicious. Tomorrow would be her birthday. Perhaps Brittany's odd mood indicated that she had something in motion and that Charlotte had been helping, if evidenced by her dirty little hands. Santana smiled graciously; she was loving her birthday present already.

After she'd changed quickly, she joined Charlotte in the bathroom. The little girl was waiting impatiently for her mama to come undress her and start her favorite moment of the day, her bath. She was waiting, hands raised up above her head so as not to dirty anything as the paint dried on her fingers.

"Come on bug, let's get you clean!" Santana sang, closing the door behind her.

She caught Charlotte and wedged her against the sink to at least clean her hands so it wouldn't dirty her clothes as they undressed her.

"What did you do with Mommy today?" Santana asked lightly as she scrubbed her daughter's hands under the water.

"We painted!"

"I figured, sweetheart. What did you paint?" Santana inquired with a smirk. Curiosity drummed in her mind and she would get to the bottom of this.

"I can't tell you! Mommy said she won't tell me stories if I tell you."

"Oh no... That's a shame 'cause I really wanted to know what you painted," she said with a sad little voice as she heaved Charlotte off the counter and turned the water off.

"But it's a surprise," Charlotte pouted, feeling terribly frustrated as she realized she was caught between a rock and a hard place. On one hand she desperately wanted to blurt the big secret but, on the other, her mother had warned her of the repercussions if she did so.

"Well, you can still tell me when I get my surprise," Santana negotiated. She turned the water of the bathtub on and started to undress her baby girl.

"It won't be a surprise anymore if I tell you."

Santana chuckled, "You're a smart little girl, Charlie." She finished undressing her. "Come on, climb in the tub!"

Santana loved these types of moments, moments when it was just the two of them. Santana had actually been considering taking it cool at work lately. She missed her family during the day and, even if she knew she was working to create the best lifestyle she possibly could for her family, she couldn't help but think she was missing out on her daughter's best childhood memories. Over the years, Santana had moved up through the hierarchy until she had reached the company's deputy director position. She had managed to take it easy and work from home when Brittany had been pregnant and when Charlotte was a very tiny baby. But at some point, routine had to resume again and she'd had to go back to work full time. Whether she liked it or not.

Now Charlotte was four, and Santana felt as if she had missed her best years. Furthermore, she felt stuck since the company's director was about to retire and she was in a good position to be offered the job. However, Santana's biggest desire was to enlarge her family. She wanted to give her very lively daughter a brother or a sister herself, a dark haired baby to match Charlotte's light brown hair.

It was a real dilemma. She _could _wait until she got the job and enlarge the family but she just didn't know how many years she'd have to wait for that. To be honest, she had a feeling Brittany would want to discuss things soon, since it was apparent her girlfriend was enjoying her mothering role a little too much to be satisfied with only one child. And even Brittany, who was keeping their child busy with crafts and played with her constantly to make her laugh, was obviously made for a large family. With her blonde mane and her colorful outfits, always smiling and fussing over their family and looking like sunshine; she was the perfect representation of the alpha lioness of their pride. Santana loved it. She absolutely adored what Brittany's role represented. However, Santana knew that her contribution would soon be demanded and she knew she had to start thinking about all her options before Brittany started tackling it herself.

Santana was lost in her thoughts as she shampooed her daughter's hair.

"_Can you wash your hair.._." Santana began to sing her daughter's favorite bath time song much to Charlotte's obvious delight.

"I can wash my hair!" The little girl ruffled her own hair with a soapy hand, thrilled and giggling.

"_Can you wash your feet.._."

Charlotte grabbed the sponge in Santana's hands to wash her feet, following the song. "I can wash my feet!"

"_Can you wash your face_!" Charlotte giggled and went to wash Santana's face. "Not mine!" Santana protested playfully. She grabbed the sponge back and washed her daughter's face, who struggled to not get soap in the eyes. "What do you want to do tomorrow, baby? I'm not working."

"It's your birthday! It's your day, we do what you like!" Charlotte shouted, as if she was repeating Brittany's words with as much conviction.

"Did Mommy tell you what I like?" Santana inquired, a shameless attempt to grill her own daughter in a bid to get details on Brittany's surprise.

Charlotte thought about it but ended up empty-handed. She shook her head, pouting as she realized she didn't know what her mom liked.

Santana chuckled. "What I like the most is..." Santana began in a playful tone colored with suspense. She grabbed the shower head to rinse Charlotte and turned the water on again. "What I like the most is..."

"What is it?" Charlotte asked with a squeak of anticipation.

Santana mimed that she was thinking about it to keep her baby waiting. Then, suddenly, she sprayed water on Charlotte to make her laugh. Santana grabbed her tiny arm so she didn't slip in the bathtub and hurt herself. Charlotte burst into laughter under the refreshing jet.

"That's what I like the most. I like when you laugh, sweetheart," Santana murmured lovingly as she finished rinsing a now happily subdued Charlotte.

* * *

"It's Mama's birthday! Happy birthday! Wake up, it's Mama's birthday!" Charlotte stormed into their bedroom as soon as she woke up. Even if she knew perfectly well that she wasn't allowed to enter their bedroom, she simply couldn't help herself on such an occasion.

She pulled her moms out of sleep brusquely. The two of them had been curled up, embracing each other closely like they did every night. They just couldn't find sleep if they weren't cuddling. They needed to be against each other, always, every single time their bedroom door was closed. Santana parted from their embrace a little as she was a light sleeper. She fought to open her eyes and looked over Brittany's shoulder to Charlotte who was impatiently jumping up and down right against the bed. Santana giggled.

"Come here, Charlie," Santana let out in her husky morning voice, gesturing for the little girl to walk around the bed to hug her.

Charlotte misunderstood and climbed on the bed. Climbing on Brittany was a way shorter way to reach her Mama anyway. She pulled Brittany out of sleep by crawling over her like a little monkey. Brittany woke up when she felt a small knee connect with her abdomen, grumbling under Santana's giggles.

"Wake up Mommy, it's Mama's birthday!" Charlotte shook Brittany violently, now sitting astride of her.

"I'm up!" Brittany groaned, fighting to open her eyes.

"Wake _uuuuuuuppppp_!" Charlotte rode her like a horse, fiercely shaking her mom. "It's time to give Mama her surprise!"

"Well done Charlie, it's not a surprise anymore…" Brittany grumbled cynically as she made her daughter fall between her and Santana to finally end this tortuous wake up call. "And we'll give Mama her present after dinner tonight," she explained pulling herself up in the bed.

Charlotte pouted, cuddling in Santana's arms. "Why can't we give it to her now?"

"Yeah, I kinda want it too…" Santana insisted with a smirk, kissing Charlotte's nose.

"Oh no, don't you play that," Brittany chuckled. She knew very well that if Charlotte and Santana teamed up against her she would never manage to lead her plan how she wanted to.

"It's Mama's birthday, we have to give the surprise to her now!"

"We're not! Tonight, after dinner. There's never been birthday breakfasts, for God's sake. Birthday dinners yes, but not breakfasts. You both will have to wait, too bad!" Brittany said playfully despite the serious undertone of her words.

"Since when do you care about traditions?" Santana joked, raising her eyebrows. Charlotte's eyes shone like two green diamonds when she realized her mama was on her side as well.

"True but… Seriously Santana, it's not cool!" Brittany stressed vaguely.

"Why?" Santana persisted.

"Mama wants her surprise and I want to give it to her too!" Charlotte kept ranting from her Mama's arms.

"I know baby, I know…" Brittany breathed out. Charlotte would never stop her tirade until her mother agreed to give Santana her gift. However, this would then totally ruin her plan. "But we can't eat your birthday cake at 9 in the morning, honey…" She negotiated, locking eyes with Santana.

"We can still eat it tonight. And plus, I honestly don't _need_ one. All that matters is to be with you both."

"It's your birthday, you need a cake!"

"She said she doesn't!" Charlotte insisted gleefully.

Brittany sighed heavily. She had nothing to fight back with. "I guess I can put a candle on your pancakes..."

"Awesome! What about having a pancake cake for breakfast, Charlie?" Santana asked her daughter buoyantly.

Charlotte froze, rocketed to heaven with such a proposal. She hurried to crawl out of the bed, climbing over Brittany again.

"Not cool, Charlie!" Brittany protested as Charlotte kneed her sorely and scratched her with her tiny nails. She helped her daughter jump out of the bed.

"We're having pancake cakes!" the girl shouted as she stormed out, already heading for the kitchen.

Both moms relaxed and cuddled for a second.

"Gosh, that was a wake up…" Brittany groaned, hugging Santana closely.

"It was just in case I forgot what day it is," Santana chuckled in defence of their little monster. She snuggled into Brittany's neck, her favorite place in the world.

Brittany grabbed her chin and gave her their ritual morning kiss. It was just a little longer than usual considering the celebration today.

"Happy birthday, Santana," Brittany lovingly cooed, topping her to stare deeply into her eyes.

Santana stared back lovingly. They'd been together for so long now, yet they had remained so in love. Santana still felt something was missing when Brittany wasn't around, as if her lungs couldn't get enough air when she was breathing. Brittany was her sunshine, endlessly warming her heart. Each year, the idea of growing old together became sweeter, more concrete. Their love never lessened, despite routines and fights once in a while. But at the end of the day, they were always back to what they did best, loving each other.

Santana snuggled closer. "Thank you, my love."

"Mommy! Mama! You said you'd make pancake cakes! I'm hungry!" Charlotte shouted from the kitchen.

Brittany and Santana sighed, giggling.

"Can someone disconnect her battery, please?" Santana joked.

"Good thing our donor was anonymous 'cause I'm really tempted to sue him sometimes. _That_ wasn't included in the deal," Brittany laughed as they pulled away and kicked the covers off the bed.

Fooling around and tickling each other playfully, they headed to the kitchen where Charlotte was waiting, already sitting in her usual seat at the table. She had already grabbed her plastic plate and fork that were decorated with colorful animals. If there was one thing Charlotte really dug, it was animals. She'd wanted some on everything; on her bedroom walls, on her clothes, on her plate and fork... on everything.

Brittany insisted on cooking their breakfast herself. Good thing since Santana was a terrible chef. Santana kept Charlotte busy, playing with her and listening attentively as their daughter named the animals on her plate. She smirked when Brittany tried to hide the little candle she was lighting and putting on top of the pancake pile. Brittany turned around carrying a huge pile of pancakes covered in melted chocolate and a tiny candle flaming happily. Charlotte's eyes went wide when she caught sight of this eighth wonder of the world that would soon end up at the bottom of her stomach.

"_Happy birthday to you, Mama... Happy birthday to you..._" Brittany started to sing and Santana applauded in rhythm to make their daughter laugh.

They were doing this more to make Charlotte happy than anything else. That was what having a child meant; dedicating the major parts of their life to their baby. Even their own birthdays, even if Santana hated singing birthdays songs, it was all for Charlie.

"_Happy birthday to you, Mama! Happy birthday!_" Charlotte sang loudly as Brittany set the plate in front of Santana. "Blow the candle!" She ordered with a wide beaming grin. Santana smirked, and blew so softly that the flame barely trembled. "Blow it!" Charlotte insisted, almost climbing atop the table to encourage her mom.

'I_ am_ blowing but it doesn't work. Look!" Santana barely blew again. Brittany took a seat, softly giggling at Santana's joke.

"Harder!" Charlotte shouted, annoyed yet still laughing.

"I don't know how to blow harder! I think you should do it for me, Charlie... Come here, baby." Charlotte hurried to jump off of her seat and ran to Santana. The brunette grabbed her and made her sit on her lap, enticing an even bigger smile on Brittany's face as she watched the two loves of her life. "You ready? Okay together, one... two... three!"

They blew together. Santana glanced at Brittany, who had turned away a little. The blonde still applauded amidst Charlotte's laughs and immediately started to eat the little skins around her nails, obviously stressed.

"You alright?" Santana asked softly as Charlotte handed her plate out to be served.

She pulled Brittany out of her strange reverie. "Yeah, sure," Brittany muttered grabbing a knife and cutting a few pieces. "One for my baby," Brittany cooed, suddenly very into the moment as she filled the plates. "One for my beloved Santana, and one for me," she finished brightly.

They ate, Charlotte thrilled and swaying her little legs back and forth on the chair, and Santana staring at Brittany who seemed lost in thought. Something was up. Brittany's eyes were shifty and she was barely paying attention to either of them. She was playing with her food, the fork dancing in the plate to feign eating but it was obvious to Santana's expert eyes she wasn't having any. Something was definitely up.

However, it was neither the time nor the place to start grilling until Brittany spilled everything, not when their daughter was around. They already had hard time making Charlotte shut her mouth most of the time. Consequently, it was the worst idea ever to make her believe it was okay to grill people. Santana finished her pancakes quickly. The sooner this breakfast was over, the sooner Santana could drag Brittany to their bedroom and start her questioning.

"Time for presents!" Brittany said, faking lightness so as not to worry anybody. She cleaned the table, taking all the plates, forks and food to the kitchen work top.

"Yay!" Charlotte jumped up and down on her chair.

Once she was done, Brittany turned around and sighed. She gazed at Santana for a second, deep in thought, which worried her girlfriend. Brittany seemed so serious and disconnected. She took a deep breath and started to head towards the living room to go look for the presents. When she passed right by her, Santana grabbed her wrist to stop her.

"You're sure you're okay?" she whispered.

Brittany freed her wrist and stroked Santana's cheek lovingly. "Couldn't be better."

"Mommy, hurry! The surprise won't come here itself!" Charlotte yelled with aplomb, taking both of her mom's aback with her authoritarian tone.

"Charlotte!-" Santana started warningly.

"I beg your pardon?" Brittany said coldly to her daughter. Charlotte immediately looked down, already regretting her words and tone.

"You don't talk like that to Mommy! Apologize, _now_," Santana scolded.

"I'm sorry Mommy..." Charlotte said looking at her feet. "Can you bring the present, please?" She corrected herself immediately, a lesson learned from all the scolding she had been through lately when she had tended to be a little too confident and cheeky with her mothers.

"Yeah, I like that better," Brittany said with big unwavering eyes. Watching her daughter over her shoulder, she went to grab the hidden birthday present. She left the kitchen, leaving Santana the task of watching over their naughty child.

She came back carrying a huge box and put it right in front of Santana. Brittany gave her the most loving look and Santana grinned back at her. The moms relaxed, and Charlotte realized the storm over her was far behind. She relaxed too, and smiled widely, thrilled to be able to see Santana's reaction.

Santana stared at the box. It was painted on all its sides, even the lid edges. It was closed by a large ribbon tied on top and Santana gazed at the bow and made the box turn. She analyzed its patterns. Some were painted by Charlotte, messy shapes that looked vaguely like animals, or at least they were meant to. Some were painted by Brittany where Charlotte had left some room, little smiling faces that looked like them, alike as two peas in a pod, or little pretty bows here and there.

"This is so pretty, thank you..." Santana let out in a choked voice, all eyes on the box

"It's just the box, hon. The present's inside," Brittany said playfully. She leaned on the worktop, too anxious to sit. She crossed her arms and tried to be patient.

"Well, even. We'll have to find a way to frame it-"

"Open it, _please_!" Charlotte pleaded, trying to sound polite despite her excitement.

"Okay, okay!" Santana laughed. "I don't think you'll survive if I take my time anyway," she joked.

She gently untied the ribbon and just as delicately, she slid the lid away. The box was too big to be able to look into it while she sat. She stood up and started to inspect the inside. There was a jumble of colorful papers. They were obviously hiding her presents, lost in a sea of gift papers.

"Happy fishing," Brittany snorted.

Thrilled, Santana shook her fingers playfully, as if she was preparing herself to chase treasures. It made Charlotte laugh.

"'K, Let's see what we got in here..." She sang as she started flicking through the papers. Charlotte had hard time taking the wait. "I feel something!" She hurried to free the stuff from all the papers flying around. "What is that?"

As soon as Santana plucked a painted mug out of the box, Charlotte jumped. "It's mine! It's me who painted it! It's me who did it!"

The moms laughed at their daughter's enthusiasm.

"Wow, Charlie... That's a really pretty mug!" Santana said appreciatively looking at the shapes matching the ones on the box that were covering the whole cup. "You know what, I'll bring it to work so I'll think about you _aaaall_ day when drinking my coffee in it!"

"Do you like it?" Charlotte inquired.

"Of course I do! My coworkers will be so jealous, thank you, sweetheart..." Santana said on her way to hug her daughter to thank her. She went back to the box with a wider smile. "So, what's next... Oh! I have something else," she let out taking a small bag out of the box.

She opened it, winking at Charlotte, figuring it was from her too. She untied the little bow keeping it closed, hearing some clicking sounds escaping from inside. She peeked inside and found handmade jewels made with big pearls.

"How _gorgeous_!" she emphasized.

It looked like children jewels, huge pearls so toddlers couldn't swallow them, threaded in bracelets. Even if she would actually never wear them, it was still so moving to see that her daughter had really done her best. She figured Brittany had tried to minimize the damage; there were no animal-shaped pearls. Santana figured how much of a pain in the ass it must have been to insist to Charlotte to avoid using these particular pearls.

"I'm so spoiled, it's rather embarrassing," Santana laughed. "Is there more?"

"There's Mommy's presents too!" Charlotte explained.

Santana winked at Brittany, patiently leaning on the worktop. The blonde threw her a weak smile.

"Let's see what Mommy got me then," Santana said flicking through the papers once more. She looked for it for a while without finding anything. "Gosh, where is it? I can't find it. What does it look like, hon?"

"It's flat like paper," Brittany said gently, looking at her feet.

"Hm, okay..." Santana said, figuring the only way to find it was to take all the papers out and check them one by one. "Nothing can stop me from getting my bling," she giggled as she kept taking papers out and ended up covering the whole kitchen table.

"Mama, you have to find it!" Charlie encouraged.

"I'm trying! Gosh Britt, where did you put it?" Santana asked looking at her. Brittany shrugged playfully. "Damn..." She kept emptying the box until something caught her eye. "I got it!"

She took a small and sober envelope out of the box. Intrigued, she opened it to find two plane tickets. She read them and found that they were good for a two week round-trip for two to Hawaii, already booked six months in advance.

"Oh my love..." Santana whispered.

She loved the idea of taking a long vacation. Even better, taking a vacation with Brittany only. She loved her daughter but she missed being alone with Brittany sometimes. She also missed just being on vacation. She had worked too much for years, always taking days off to actually do important personal things but never to just relax. Brittany taking the initiative was just what Santana needed to power through her working routine and actually take some time to chill a bit. She had just read her mind.

Santana put the envelope down and went to hug her girlfriend, holding on tightly. "Thank you, honey... Six months is perfect for me to organize myself, thank you so much."

Brittany reciprocated the hug, but not as warmly as she usually would. "There's more right against the bottom," Brittany said inaudibly, her voice tainted with trembles.

Santana parted from her, feeling weird and out of place in the aftermath of Brittany's unusual behavior. "You didn't have to, it's more than enough already."

"Don't be silly... go!" Brittany giggled despite the serious frown over her eyes.

Santana decided not to think about Brittany's behavior just yet, and went back to the box.

"Okay, so Mommy said right against the bottom," she said playfully to entertain Charlotte. "Do you know what it is?" she asked her looking for her last present.

Charlotte nodded. "It's a box!"

"Another one?" Santana giggled. "Okay, so I'm looking for a box... What does it look like?" She inquired but Brittany hushed Charlotte so she wouldn't ruin everything. "How many trees did you saw to fill this box?" Santana joked winking at Brittany. She kept emptying it until the bottom finally showed. "A box, I'm looking for a box..." She repeated as she kept peeking through the colorful papers. A red little thing shone in the kitchen light. "Gotcha!" She grabbed it with a large grin, with her favorite jeweller's name written on it in golden letters. "Why do I feel like I'm gonna get the earrings to match last year's necklace?" She laughed glancing at Brittany. The blonde looked worryingly pale.

Santana frowned and opened the box. An incredibly shiny solitaire white diamond shone from all sides. She held her breath. She lost her composure and peeked at the flight tickets on the table. All Brittany's intentions screamed in her mind. She locked her eyes with Brittany's, whose unusual behavior was suddenly very explainable and who remained frozen, leaning against the worktop.

"What is it, Mama? Show me what it is!" Charlotte asked, her little high pitched voice filling the silence.

Santana couldn't look at her daughter to answer her. She scrutinized Brittany flushing crimson, overwhelmed.

"Mama! Show me! Please!" Charlotte insisted.

Santana blinked over and over again, powering through to answer her daughter.

She cleared her throat, "It's hm ... an engagement ring."

She turned the little box to show her without letting go of her stare on Brittany. The blonde's eyes were showing so many emotions and it was the most beautiful thing to watch.

"What's an engagement?" Charlotte asked innocently.

Santana took a deep breath. "An engagement is when a person asks the person they love to marry them."

"And when the other person says yes," Brittany added specifically.

Brittany finally straightened and walked to Santana. She grabbed the little opened box from Santana's weak hand with trembling fingers. She detached the ring from its little cushion and softly put the box back on the table.

"That's why I wanted to do it after dinner. I never planned to do this in the middle of our kitchen dressed in pyjamas," Brittany explained almost giggling as she focused on the ring, too overwhelmed to look up at Santana.

"Fuck traditions," Santana said in a tight watery voice.

Charlotte started, "Mama said a curs-"

"Shhh! I'm getting engaged," Santana hushed her daughter hurriedly, eyes as wide as saucers as she took in the sight of Brittany holding a symbol of their commitment to each other in her hold.

Brittany giggled, pulling herself together. She tickled Santana's flat stomach for a second, leaving the brunette completely frozen in a storm of emotions.

"Someday, I'll ask for N°2. But before I do, I have to ask you something else, from the bottom of my heart. My muse, my sweetheart... The other mother of our devilish creature," she chuckled looking at Charlotte who didn't seem to understand what was happening but trying fiercely to. Brittany held the hand Santana had naturally raised. "Will you let me love you until the end of time?"

"Oh gosh yes!" Santana gasped even before realizing she had spoken. Brittany could think whatever she wanted, this proposal was perfect. The two of them with Charlotte, her two favorite people in the world here for her, that couldn't be any less than perfect.

Sweetly chuckling, Brittany slid the ring on Santana's finger, taking her time and pushing it to the very end. Santana threw herself in the blonde's arms and stole passionate kisses that left Charlotte completely out of the frame. She slid her arms around Brittany's neck to keep her tightly against her.

"_Yes!_ Yes, yes, yes!" Santana sang snuggling into her neck and making Brittany laugh.

The blonde's stress melted and her mind became encumbered by love and love only. She held Santana close, making them sway in their embrace. Charlotte pulled at her shorts and Brittany glanced down at her despite her giggles which Santana mimicked.

"What is it, bug?" Brittany inquired, without letting go of Santana lovingly snuggling against her.

The little girl shrugged, breathing loudly. She just felt totally kept out of the event and couldn't manage to understand why they looked so thrilled. Santana crouched, grabbed her shoulders and stroked her cheeks at random intervals.

"Mommies are getting married. Do you know what that means?" Santana started to explain with a huge grin cutting her face in two.

Charlotte shook her head sadly. Her mother was speaking a language she didn't know.

"It's alright. Mommy and I love each other so much that we want to have a party to celebrate it. We'll wear pretty dresses and you will too! We're gonna have a lot of fun!"

Charlotte smiled. Those were words she knew.

"That's why Mommy gave me this ring. She asked me if I wanted to have this party with her," Santana finished explaining, shaking her hand in front of her daughter so Charlotte could see the ring.

The little girl grabbed her mom's hand to see closely. Her eyes shone when she saw how sparkly the new ring was. "Can you lend it?" She asked grinning.

Brittany and Santana laughed. "No, not this one... I'll give you another of my jewels if you want, okay?"

Realizing she had just won a jewel, Charlotte was amply satisfied. She hugged her mom and when Santana looked up into shimmering blue eyes she saw that Brittany couldn't be happier.

"You know Britt, it won't take long before we start talking about N°2," she softly said still hugging Charlotte.

Brittany smiled wide. "But it's not my birthday yet!"

"What's N°2?" Charlotte asked, pulling away.

Santana laughed, "nothing, Sweetie, nothing..."

* * *

"Finally..." Santana whispered in an undertone to Brittany right next to her.

They were watching Charlotte sleeping, _finally_. The entire day they had made her run, dance, sing and laugh, hoping she'd exhaust herself in the long run. The master plan had worked perfectly. Charlotte had started nodding off during dinner, big eyes drooping tiredly and head lolling gently on her shoulders. They had rushed to clear the dishes and had put her in bed before the sun had even started to decline. They watched her for a couple of silent minutes, trying to make absolute certain that Charlotte was out for the count.

"Do you think she's dead asleep?" Santana breathed out tentatively.

"Hold on."

Brittany gently grabbed her daughter's arm and let it fall. Charlotte's tiny limb fell back with a loud noise again the mattress, emptied of all her reflexes. Charlotte didn't blink in reaction, she didn't even move an inch. Charlie was definitely slumbering away, travelling in her colorful dreams.

"Positive."

Santana smirked and Brittany soon shared the same wicked smile. The brunette headed out the girl's room, opening the door with featherlight fingers. She opened it just enough for her to escape through without too much light entering the room. Brittany imitated her girlfriend, and they both held their breath while pulling the door closed. They waited a second, listening into the profound silence. Santana threw another smirk in Brittany's direction.

Brittany grabbed her wrist and pushed her hurriedly towards their own bedroom. Surprised, Santana started laughing. Soft melodious sounds that sent butterflies swirling through Brittany's stomach.

"Shhh! You're gonna wake her up..." Brittany bit out through her own giggles, the ones she was trying to repress, as she started tickling Santana. "Shhhh!" She insisted, her breathing shaken by growing laughter.

Almost running and unmercilessly teasing each other, they made their way to the bedroom. Brittany assaulted Santana's neck with kisses and her hips with tickling strokes. They stumbled on the way, too thrilled to slow down now that they finally could enjoy a moment on their own.

They had waited for their private celebration all day. Santana had long since passed the will to care about her birthday. She was getting married. She would be marrying her sweetheart, her one and only true love. She had a birthday every year, but she would only be engaged once, and more than anything, she would only marry Brittany once.

Santana struggled to remain quiet until they had their door firmly shut. Brittany wedged Santana right up against it and, stuck on the wooden door, Santana couldn't stop fidgeting, freely able to laugh now that they were out of the danger zone. Brittany hurried to unbutton Santana's shirt, never stopping her ministrations on Santana's neck.

"Lock the door. We can't be safe enough," Brittany muttered between two kisses, taking a path down Santana's collarbone and freed shoulder.

Wedged against the door, Santana's fingers groped to find the key stuffed in the lock and turned it with urgency. Brittany lifted her up and rested her fiancée's thighs around her own hips as soon as the sound of the lock reached her ears. Santana let out a small whimper, throwing her arms around Brittany's neck to get some balance.

"God, I love when you do that..." Santana gasped out.

"I know," Brittany smirked through their kisses.

She held her tightly, and carried her to the bed to the soundtrack of Santana's delighted giggles. Brittany let her fall on the bed, making the covers wave on the mattress. She hurried to get her shirt off while Santana got rid of her own, both women throwing their clothes on the ground with rushed haste.

"I don't think I could have waited another minute," Santana admitted breathlessly as her eyes feasted on her fiancée's body.

It felt like sneaking around. And now with the door safely locked, it felt like they were travelling back to their little bubble of love, the one that had never truly left them over the years and would always stick in some corner of their hearts until they'd exhale their last breath together.

Since Charlotte had come into their lives, their time together as a couple had been drastically shortened. It was a little more than four years ago, and Brittany and Santana had barely begun to discover what being a couple in love meant once more. Charlotte was attending school now, which meant that Brittany wasn't tired as hell in the evening after having spent the day running after their beloved devil. When their baby finally wound down and went to sleep, they could have a little time together. At last... Now they were able to discuss things again, rediscovering their once long lasting conversations which had only improved their connection. They managed to watch movies again, listen to music together. But what mattered the most, by far, was that they finally could act as lovers did. Teasing each other all day and still having enough strength by night to satisfy themselves.

However, with the proposal that had only just taken place a few hours earlier, after a whole day pondering on what it meant, they'd furiously craved and needed each other. Exactly in the way they had fallen in love, years ago.

Brittany fell on her and kissed her, stealing all the air from Santana's lungs. She ran her fingers through Santana's hair and pulled her even closer. Taking a deep breath, she jumped to the occasion to unbutton her fiancée's jeans and make them slide down deliciously tanned legs. She hurried to discard them to the ground, and her own soon followed. Santana pushed her back against her with needy grasping hands, only to kiss her even more deeply. She just wanted to _feel _her already. Once Brittany was lying back, she slid her leg under Brittany's and flipped her over.

"My birthday, my rules," Santana let out slyly.

Brittany shivered with arousal. She hurriedly made her underwear slide down her legs and then welcomed Santana, unfolding her thighs and clenching them over her hips.

"Nah, nah, nah..." Santana disagreed playfully. She slowly slid a hand in between them only to free Brittany's grip around her by parting warm pale legs. "My birthday, my rules," Santana repeated as she let her hand wander dangerously low.

With a wicked smile, she slid expert fingers right along Brittany's core wasting no time. Brittany's calm and quiet breathing fastened in response. She resumed running her fingers through Santana's hair, waiting for the game to really start. Santana dragged her closer to her.

They'd both spent the better part of the day awaiting their own brand of snuggling. One thing was sure, Brittany had been ready to get her cuddles on since Charlotte had started nodding off over her plate at dinner. Santana and Brittany had played footsie under the table, and shared some looks that could tell a story. A very sexy and M rated story that little girls like Charlotte weren't privy too.

They were happy. More than they could understand or fathom. People had worried, their friends mainly, that welcoming a little one might rock the love boat and crackle this dream come true. But nothing of the sort had happened. This was mostly due to the set of rules they had laid down before Charlotte had been born. Rule number one; remain women before moms. They had tackled this task head-on with Brittany curling or braiding her hair during Charlotte's naps, and Santana staunchly putting her best makeup on every day, even changing diapers in heels which had never failed to make Brittany double over with laughter. Santana's main goal, now and into the future, was to become the hottest MILF her company had never seen. Brittany's main fear was to become a sloppy housewife, hiding all her artistic skills and mystery under a huge pile of laundry to this hadn't happened yet and, she'd vowed, would _never _happen.

Even if Charlotte had upset their hearts and life in the sweetest way, deep down, both of their soul couldn't stop singing as lovers to each other before mothers to their baby. Which led to rule number 2; their bedroom was sacred ground. Whenever Charlotte finally exhausted herself and slept like a log, they left their caring mom personas to meet again as women in love. They closed their bedroom door and locked themselves up in their own bubble of love, their "sexyland" as Santana used to call it. No children allowed, no baby sleeping in between and no Mommy and Mama. Just Santana and her Britt-Britt, Brittany and her Sanny. According to them, rule number two was the best rule they had ever come up with. Even if they were too tired for anything more than simply passing out in each other's arms; at least they were falling asleep as lovers and that was the best feeling.

Today was evidence of this. They had spent all day remembering every memory, how life had led them to where they were now and what the world had to offer them. They had mulled over their past, pondering on the day they had first met. Their first words exchanged, their playful demeanours from back then that had never really left them. The cuddles, the kisses and talks.

They had safely closed their door, sealing it with the spell of their attraction. They had fall in each other's arms with all the love they had. The ring around Santana's finger had reminded her all day of how she had never taken Brittany for granted. Brittany was like a butterfly, always flitting about, her mind always dancing through reveries and wonderlands Santana could never hope to understand, even after all these years. Brittany embodied passion, and the last thing Santana wanted was passion to leave her, or both of them . To keep their love burning like a pyre was their duty; warming it with incessant sweet attentions and tenderness. Brittany was finding the real tenderness in Santana's caring strokes and embraces. The way her fingers ran on her skin, the way her eyes kept reading the emotions traveling through her own features. The way Santana made her sway with her, when they were so close that Brittany could feel her heart thumping against her own chest.

Her love had no frontier whenever Santana's ministrations made her breathless and hot. Santana was holding her close with one arm, her other hand busy elsewhere. Considering the wicked smirk sticking to the luscious lips, Brittany knew, was _sure_, that Santana had something in mind. However, she had no heart for investigation when her own thighs started to tremble in anticipation.

Santana gave her a wet kiss. She gazed at Brittany's breast moving along the pushes she was making at her center. She carefully listened to the soft moans escaping the blonde's lips. She intensified, only to witness Brittany's features contort even more. She slightly parted from Brittany without slowing her pace. All she wanted was to do what she was the best at, showing the depth of her feelings without words. She instantly met Brittany's inquiring look fighting its way through her pleasure.

"Is this all you have for me, _Mrs._ Pierce?" Santana teased lovingly with a wink.

Delighted, Brittany chuckled. "Come back..." She murmured encircling Santana with her arms to pull her closer.

"I have better plans," Santana retorted around a smirk.

She pulled away from Brittany's embrace without slowing down her busy hand. Brittany's whimpers were suddenly tainted with something else than just pleasure. Santana kissed her way down between Brittany's breasts and her stomach.

"Oh no, not that..." Brittany blurted, understanding finally what plan Santana had in mind and already knowing it would be the end of her. "Not that, I'm gonna wake her up-"

"Keep it quiet then," Santana let out with a soft chuckle, kissing lower and lower.

Realizing she would have no say tonight, Brittany let a desperate moan from within her chest escape. She'd already guessed how hard it would be to attempt keeping herself quiet when Santana did what she loved the most. What they usually keep for nights alone, when the grandparents came to fetch the little demon for the night and left the moms to some personal time. But this time, Charlotte was well and truly sleeping just a few meters away in the adjacent room and Brittany had no faith in the walls of their bedroom to turn her moans into soundless cries.

When Santana finally reached what for her lips and tongue craved, she turned her hand to get the perfect position. She made herself comfortable, looking up at her writing panting mess of a fiancée. She giggled; Brittany's features were telling a story on how she was probably praying to God to actually manage to keep quiet. Laughing internally, Santana started licking Brittany's center with fierce determination. Brittany grabbed her hair and held onto a pillow with her other hand. Her face couldn't stop silently contorting. It wouldn't last long before Brittany would start losing it and they both knew it. As if fate was reading Santana's mind, Brittany buried her mouth in a pillow. Incessant moans escaped, barely quietened by the material. Santana kept doing what Brittany loved the most, things she had learned over the years to please her one and only true love. But today it was about more than just pleasing her, it's was about thanking her and giving Brittany a preview of what their first night as a married couple would be.

The way she made her shake, the way she was feeling her inside and outside, felt like the best love and offer in Brittany's mind. Her heart raced and her throat was scorched with want. She wished she could have held on a little longer but with Santana playing pitilessly like that... she had no way out. When Santana teased her lower stomach with her free hand, strokes that left her skin feeling a glowing fire, Brittany let go of everything, only to grab Santana's hand and desperately and stick it to her own cheek. Moaning her love in the moist palm, Brittany knew she was only a few seconds away from relief. She played with the ring crowning Santana's fourth finger. As if she needed confirmation, her body entire body cried out to affirm how wonderful their marriage would be.

Suddenly, warmth started to glow from the deepest parts of her body. She sucked on Santana's fingers, pathetically trying to be as quiet as possible as she felt herself melting under her climax.

"Fuck... oh _fuck_..." Brittany let out breathlessly.

Keeping quiet was such a torture. Santana ignored Brittany's pleading, focusing instead on pushing her completely into ecstasy. She stroked even more carefully, pushing in and out even deeper. Brittany curled her toes and buried them in the mattress with a low powerful groan.

"_Fuck Santana!_ Oh..." She cried out, as her orgasm ripped through her like a tornado.

Santana pulled away, smirking, and put her hand flat on Brittany's center so the blonde could finish enjoying her delight peacefully. In response, the blonde relaxed against the pillows, eyes shut and breathing heavily. Santana took the hand Brittany was no longer holding and dried her mouth with the back of it. Happy and sated, she laid back beside Brittany and cuddled her for a while. When Brittany finally opened her eyes to gaze at her, Santana softly removed her hand and snuggled into her embrace.

Brittany welcomed Santana with her best smile, her most tender look. As Santana smiled back, Brittany lovingly pushed some black locks that had fallen over her eyes behind her ear. She made the cuddle last, stroking Santana's cheeks and neck with loving attention. Minutes went by with the sound of their happy breathing as the only melody. They gazed at each other as if it was the first time they were seeing each other, eyes travelling to her every feature, every detail.

"What are you thinking about?" Santana inquired, watching as Brittany seemed to hover in another realm entirely.

"I'm picturing you with pearls in your hair," Brittany admitted, the idea coloring her mind with shiny jewels in ebony hair under a large stained glass church window. She had spent all day flipping through images of Santana wearing white. "And I'm taking them off, one by one," she joked, plucking imaginary pearls from Santana's dishevelled head with a gentle grin.

Santana smiled wide, feeling cheesy and loved. She snuggled in a little more closely, "Do you want me to wear some?"

"No, I want you to wear whatever you want," Brittany sweetly whispered.

"I want to be perfect for you..." Santana simpered. If Brittany imagined her this way, then she wanted to resemble and trounce Brittany's imagination.

Brittany pushed her on her back; it was her turn to snuggle in Santana's arms. She rested her head in the crook of her neck. "You'll be perfect anyway," Brittany cooed.

"Still..."

Brittany pulled back a little to look up. She immediately understood that Santana was already flicking through weddings looks in her mind, eyes riveted on the ceiling.

"Before you torture yourself with fashion, we have something more important to do before..." Brittany said teasingly.

"What?" Santana smiled, eyes flicking back to her.

"The date," Brittany let out in a whisper. "There's no wedding without a date..."

Santana bit her lip in thought. "Right."

Picking a date on the calendar seemed so lame. They could do better than that. Santana flickered through all the months a year was made up of, trying to find something that rung a bell.

"Hold on," she blurted.

She did her best not to let go of their hug while she opened a drawer of her bedside cabinet. Brittany parted a little to let her do so, watching as Santana grabbed a little box, whose corners were torn up and whose lip wasn't really straight anymore. With no force, she made the lip jump, and flipped through little papers in the box.

"I got it!" Santana breathed happily under Brittany's inquiring look.

Santana pulled out a little ticket. The black ink had faded and it was almost impossible to read. Santana held it up towards the light, hoping it would help to read better. Focusing hard, she deciphered the shadows on the ticket.

"What is it?"

"The first ticket you ever gave me," Santana admitted, still focused on reading. "October 4th," she announced proudly.

"You did not keep that during all of these years!" Brittany chuckled, surprised.

"Yes, I did..." Santana smiled cheesily.

Brittany kissed and held her more tightly, laughing. "That's just cute, I mean..." Loving chuckles shook her. "October 4th, it's settled then."

Silence filled the room. Santana put her precious and fragile treasure back in its case. She closed the box and put it on the cabinet, eyeing it in a sort of adoring and amorous way. She took a deep breath, as if she were inhaling the clean oxygen from the top of a mountain.

"We're getting married," Santana realized out loud. The declaration hung in the air and made Brittany beam.

Santana chuckled in astonishment. It just felt too good to be true.

* * *

Finally posting it! I tried my best... I hope you like it!


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